The West Yorkshire Combined Authority is working with Network Rail and publicly-owned train operators that serve the county on a trial of measures to improve the travel experience for blind residents.

Residents who have a blind person’s travel pass are entitled to free rail travel on all LNER, Northern and TransPennine Express services in the region, as part of the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS).

However, until now, blind passengers travelling with their ENCTS pass have not been able to use automated ticket gates, and instead had to find station staff and ask them for assistance to get through the gates.

Feedback from passengers has prompted the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, train operators and Network Rail to arrange a trial of a new approach in which blind passengers will not have to seek help at ticket gates.

Ten blind passengers will take part in the trial and will be issued a temporary West Yorkshire travel pass (MCard) for a three-month period, which will allow access through automated ticket barriers.

Train operator Northern sees this as a “partnership approach” which “recognises the call for people registered blind to access services in a way that reflects their choices and independence.”

Passengers may still ask for and receive support from station staff if they need it.

The trial will start tomorrow (Tuesday, 1 July) and will run for three months. It will operate at stations in the region that have ticket gate lines. These include Bradford Interchange, Bradford Forster Square, Dewsbury, Huddersfield, Leeds and Wakefield Westgate.

The trial has been welcomed by Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire.

Other measures to reduce barriers to travelling for blind and visually impaired passengers at stations around the country include tactile maps and wayfinding apps.

“My independence is really important to me and as someone who regularly travels by train I want to be able to get about without being hindered by a process that I know doesn’t apply to me – just because I’m visually impaired. I’m glad I raised my experience with Northern and grateful to them for their efforts to bring about this trial, which I hope will bring about a permanent change.”

Kathryn Milner, visually impaired passenger