Accessing public transport can be challenging for deaf people and people with hearing loss in the UK.
How often people experience problems accessing public transport
- 77% experience barriers on public transport, for BSL users this figure is 94% (RNID Clear Signals report, 2026).
- Only 7% say they never experience barriers. For BSL users this is just 1% (RNID Clear Signals report, 2026).
- Only 16% of people feel their local public transport is good at meeting the needs of people with sensory loss (Department for Transport, 2024).
Access to information is the biggest challenge
- 72% say the way travel information is provided is a barrier, and 81% say public transport relies too much on audio announcements (RNID Clear Signals report, 2026).
- 76% report insufficient real-time visual information, with screens often broken or unavailable (RNID Clear Signals report, 2026).
- Between 40% and 50% of BSL users (depending on the mode of transport) report often or always being unable to access key travel info (RNID Clear Signals report, 2026).
The physical environment makes these challenges worse
- 66% say the physical environment such as noise levels, lighting and overcrowding create barriers for them (RNID Clear Signals report, 2026).
- 72% say noise levels often or always make it harder to access information (RNID Clear Signals report, 2026).
Communication with staff is important, but difficult
- 62% rely on staff when information is inaccessible, but only 6% find staff are always available when needed (RNID Clear Signals report, 2026).
- 55% of people, and 70% of BSL users, find communicating with staff or other passengers creates barriers for them (RNID Clear Signals report, 2026).
Consequences for deaf people and people with hearing loss
- 76% of people say that inaccessible information makes travelling stressful, as do 81% of BSL users. 79% of people feel constantly “on alert” during journeys, leading to fatigue (RNID Clear Signals report, 2026).
- 76% of people with a disability related to hearing feel mentally exhausted from using public transport (Motability, 2025).
- 35% of people report avoiding public transport whenever possible (RNID Clear Signals report, 2026).
- 29% of people avoid travelling at peak times (Motability, 2020).
Explore more evidence on public transport
The challenges of travelling on public transport
“There’s always a layer of nervousness if I’m travelling. What if something happens and I don’t hear it? What if I miss something?”