Tim Farron MP on board with Guide Dogs' talking buses campaign

South Lakes MP showed his support for a campaign led by the charity Guide Dogs to make travelling by bus easier for people with sight loss.

The MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale went to a reception at the Houses of Parliament on 2 July in support of Guide Dogs' campaign to make sure all new buses have audio visual (AV) next stop announcements, which are vital for blind and partially sighted bus travellers.

The reception, which was addressed by Bus Minister Baroness Kramer, highlighted how announcements enable blind and partially sighted people to understand their location, and prevent them from missing their stops.

AV systems are only fitted to around one fifth of the bus fleet nationally, with the overwhelming majority of these buses operating in London.

Guide Dogs is calling for the Government to require all new buses be fitted with AV, as currently bus operators are under no obligation to include this technology when upgrading their fleet.

Tim said: "Buses are often the only realistic form of transport for people who are blind or partially sighted, and I fully believe that buses should be adapted for those people who depend on them to travel independently.

"Building a more inclusive society is very important-blind and partially sighted people need the same opportunities to get on; to work and socialise in our shared society. I am 100% behind the Talking Buses campaign-and I'd like to pay tribute to the fantastic South Lakes Sight Advice for all of their help to local people and advice they give me on these issues."