Thousands of deaf people in Wales facing public transport barriers, report finds
Eight in ten people in Wales who are deaf or have hearing loss say they experience problems when using public transport, according to a new report.
The research by RNID warns that inaccessible travel information and a lack of deaf awareness among transport staff can leave passengers feeling stressed, anxious and less independent.
Around one in three people in Wales are deaf or have hearing loss — more than 850,000 people.
The charity's new Clear Signals report says 80 per cent of deaf people and people with hearing loss who use public transport experience accessibility barriers.
Almost two in five — 38 per cent — say they always or often avoid certain types of public transport, while 30 per cent say they avoid using public transport whenever possible.
More than six in ten people surveyed said they feel anxious when travelling, while 78 per cent said they have to stay "on alert" throughout their journey.
The report also found that 63 per cent over-prepare for journeys because they cannot rely on travel information being accessible, while 85 per cent build in extra time to reach their destination because they expect to face barriers.
The report includes the experiences of people living in South Wales.
Emily Forrington, 49, from Cardiff, began losing her hearing in her 20s and now has severe-to-profound hearing loss in her right ear and no hearing in her left.
She says travelling on unfamiliar routes can be particularly stressful when announcements are made over tannoys.
She also says unexpected interactions, such as a bus driver speaking to her without warning, can make her panic.
Rob, who is in his early 60s and lives in Penarth, experienced sudden hearing loss in 2023 and now uses a cochlear implant.
He says local bus journeys are relatively straightforward because he knows the route, but train travel can become much more difficult when services are disrupted.
He says passengers can be left relying on public address announcements which he finds almost impossible to hear or understand.
RNID says its Clear Signals report is the first research specifically focused on the real-life experiences of people who are deaf or have hearing loss using public transport in Wales.
The charity is calling on the Welsh Government, Transport for Wales and other transport providers to take action.
Its recommendations include making journey information more accessible through technology such as Auracast, providing deaf awareness training for customer-facing staff and involving people with lived experience in the design of transport services.