Impacts
This section analyses the impact of the problems discussed in the previous sections. Access problems and negative experiences with public transport can have both emotional impacts such as reduced confidence, and practical impacts such as difficulty planning and making journeys.
People experience frustration, resentment, and feelings of isolation when public transport is inaccessible (Mindell et al. 2024, Wagner et al. 2024). A survey by the Motability Foundation found that 76% of people with a “hearing disability” agreed with the statement “I feel mentally exhausted from using public transport”; this was the highest proportion of groups surveyed (Motability 2025).
People with hearing loss experience reduced confidence and embarrassment when unable to communicate with bus drivers, particularly if they also experience social anxiety (Bromley et al. 2024). Conversely, accessible online information can empower users and increase confidence (Waara et al. 2015).
These negative emotions can then cause people to reduce their use of public transport (Bromley et al. 2024, House of Commons 2025, Motability 2020a). A survey by the Motability Foundation (Motability 2020a) found that:
- 39% of respondents to one survey said they avoided public transport
- 29% avoided peak times
- 29% only travelled to familiar locations
- 40% felt access to public transport was unlikely to improve
There are also practical and safety impacts of inaccessible information, such as missing stops or taking the wrong route.
After that case [missing a train due to a platform alteration] I didn’t travel for half a year. I was just like – no. I didn’t travel anywhere.” Deaf person (quoted in RNID Clear Signals report, 2026)
Negative experiences can lead to people feeling anxiety and stress about travel, therefore leading to less frequent travel (Das Neves et al. 2023, Department for Transport 2015, House of Commons 2025). Disabled people spend more time preparing for journeys due to these challenges, and this is a key reason that disabled people travel less frequently than non-disabled people. (Mindell et al. 2024).
Inaccessible public transport can therefore lead to reduced participation in society (Das Neves et al. 2023, Mindell et al. 2024), potentially including problems with commuting for employment (Tessier et al. 2024) or essential services and appointments (Wagner et al. 2024). People may choose to limit interactions to reliable routes and times, e.g. outside of peak travel (Bigby et al. 2019), which may limit their ability to use public transport for work or socialising.