Guidance

Accessibility standards for bus manufacturers

Published 21 September 2026

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

Introduction:

This page brings together agreed accessibility standards developed by the Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel. The Department for Transport (DfT) convened the panel to explore how the bus industry could collectively raise accessibility standards.

Accessible travel benefits both passengers and operators alike, reinforcing the case for inclusive transport as a sustainable, long-term investment. These standards are intended to:

• support bus operators and local transport authorities when specifying services and procuring vehicles

• to guide manufacturers in designing vehicles that exceed current standards, to meet disabled passengers’ evolving needs and expectations

The specification detailed here assumes that vehicles subject to the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 (PSVAR) (or equivalent international requirements) and the Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information) Regulations 2023 (AIR), comply with them in full, and that adoption of the measures indicated would enhance the legal baseline rather than change it. 

These measures aim to improve the accessibility of buses consistently, but should be viewed as the foundation for further improvements, rather than the end point. We encourage operators and manufacturers to view meeting the needs of disabled passengers as an integral aspect of providing a high-quality product and to evolve and enhance that provision based on passenger need, beyond what has been agreed here.

Beyond meeting the legal requirements of PSVAR and AIR, we are encouraging industry to consider accessibility as part of broader fleet modernisation – from leveraging scheduled upgrades to embedding inclusive design into zero-emission fleet investments. By aligning accessibility improvements with wider industry transformation, including the net zero agenda, we can ensure that progress towards a modern, sustainable bus fleet also delivers meaningful accessibility benefits for all passengers.

Agreed standards for universal adoption 

This section sets out the accessibility standards that the Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel recommends all manufacturers should adopt for new buses, wherever practicable.

Provide wheelchair accessible flexible space on all new vehicles

Where the overall vehicle dimensions allow, incorporate into vehicle saloon designs at least 2 wheelchair spaces. One is the statutory wheelchair space, and others should be additional ‘wheelchair accessible flexible spaces’, also supporting access for passengers with pushchairs and those seated on folding seats.

Where narrower, shorter buses are used which do not have sufficient interior space for the provision of 2 full sized wheelchair spaces, 1 full size statutory wheelchair space and at least 1 further ‘flexible space’ should be provided instead, still providing additional space for passengers with pushchairs and those seated on fold down seats.

Include provision of moveable seats in additional ‘wheelchair accessible flexible spaces’ and ‘flexible spaces’

Additional ‘wheelchair accessible flexible spaces’ and ‘flexible spaces’ should be equipped with folding or retracting seats to maximise seated capacity.

The arrangement of handholds should be designed to provide passengers seated on moveable seats or moving past such spaces with adequate support whilst continuing to comply with legal requirements.

Use of the ‘statutory wheelchair space’ by seated passengers should not be encouraged, and provision of moveable seating should be accompanied by signage requiring passengers to vacate the space when it is required by a wheelchair user.

Equip wheelchair spaces with moveable supports

Upright stanchions between wheelchair spaces and the aisle should be replaced with moveable supports where possible, to ease wheelchair users’ access to and egress from the space. The overall arrangement of supports must still comply with PSVAR.

Drivers should be trained to provide passengers with support using moveable supports where they require it.

Provide PSVAR compliant kneeling system on board every new bus as standard

All new buses should be fitted with a kneeling system which complies with the relevant requirements of PSVAR.

Drivers should be trained to position the vehicle and to use kneeling systems consistent with legal requirements to maximise the accessibility of the vehicle.

Provide touch pads for contactless cards in a contrasting colour and position them consistently

Agree within the industry, and implement consistently on new and newly equipped buses, a standard location for the provision of contactless card readers, which allows them to be identified and used easily by disabled passengers, whilst still allowing drivers to touch cards on their behalf if preferred.

Readers should use a colour scheme which contrasts clearly with their surroundings (such as a yellow reader on a black or grey background).

Readers should also be designed to be readily identifiable by touch. Reader positioning, colour schemes and tactility should be designed with disabled people who have a range of access needs, to maximise inclusivity. 

Put PSVAR compliant ‘communication devices’ on both sides of any wheelchair space 

Incorporate into the design of statutory wheelchair space and ‘wheelchair accessible flexible space’ designs the placement of a PSVAR compliant ‘communication device’ (i.e. the bell push) on both sides of the space (to left and right of a wheelchair user), to support wheelchair users with limited arm movement to communicate their wish to alight.

Where moveable supports are used communication devices should be incorporated into the design where this is feasible.

Provide on-board ‘remaining capacity’ indicators

Provide screens to display lower and, where relevant, upper deck remaining capacity to passengers visually.

Also provide such information audibly at the point of boarding where this is practicable.
Information should be presented consistent with the Real Time Information Group’s guidance on Inclusive Travel Information

Operators and manufacturers should seek to avoid systems giving a misleading impression of the occupancy of wheelchair spaces, such as when they are occupied by passengers who could vacate the space readily.

Fit both AuraCast and Induction Loop 

Provide both AuraCast and an induction loop to enable deaf and hard of hearing passengers in the boarding area of a bus to hear the driver and aid their communication.

Consideration should also be given to providing audible information required by the Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information) Regulations 2023 through AuraCast in addition to induction loops.

Install appropriate signage to indicate the presence of such systems and implement procedures for the regular training of drivers and testing and maintenance of equipment.

Achieve AIR compliance at point of manufacture

All new buses should be equipped at point of manufacture to provide audible and visible information consistent with the Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information) Regulations 2023, without requiring later retrofitting.

Systems should include ‘adaptive volume control’ (as per Regulation 13 of the Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information) Regulations 2023) to ensure that audible information can always be heard above ambient sounds during a journey.

Provide additional signage to improve recognition and respect of priority areas on vehicles

To aid recognition of priority spaces, industry should agree with representative organisations on consistent signage wording and presentation, in addition to the requirements of PSVAR, and provide this signage on new and newly upgraded vehicles.

Signage should require non-disabled passengers to vacate wheelchair spaces and priority seating when it is required by a disabled passenger.

Make accessibility standards of external and internal branding and signage consistent with digital platform design

Operators should apply the same standard of inclusive design used for their digital platforms to the physical bus environment. This includes using:

• clear colour contrast
• legible fonts

All internal and external vehicle branding, signage and wayfinding should be designed to remove barriers and support independent access.

Standards for further research and development

These proposals may have the potential to improve access for disabled passengers but would require further development and testing to be sure of their feasibility, reliability and efficacy. The industry should seek to incorporate them as and when the evidence base for their provision is sufficient and agreement on standardised approaches is achieved.

Research should be holistic, seeking solutions which maximise accessibility for passengers with a range of access needs, and regardless of whether people have access to and/or use personal devices, such as smartphones and other assistive technology.

Equip buses to announce themselves to visually impaired passengers                   

Investigate potential to incorporate on buses either of systems to provide audible announcements outside the vehicle to identify the service to waiting passengers or use of other technology to alert drivers to their presence.

Potential technological solutions are available but further research is required to understand:

• the extent to which they could improve access, particularly for visually impaired passengers and those without access to personal devices
• how they might integrate with existing systems and working practices
• how unintended impacts such as noise pollution and creation of a technology divide might be mitigated

Forward facing wheelchair spaces with active restraint systems

Investigate potential to provide forward facing wheelchair spaces with active restraint systems that can be applied and released quickly by the wheelchair user to improve comfort, safety and autonomy for wheelchair users. 

Further research is required to scope and develop feasible solutions and to understand their safety and efficacy.

Testing in laboratory and real-world situations would be required to understand their potential impact in a variety of contexts and their desirability by and usability for passengers with differing access needs.

Colour-coded visual systems to distinguish zones or priority areas

Research would be required on the benefits and disbenefits of colour coded visual systems, the impact of different categories of zone, and the potential to implement such a measure within the confined envelope of a bus. 

Consideration should also be given to the limited efficacy of colour coding systems for visually impaired people.

Inclusive colour schemes

Investigate the potential to use inclusive colour schemes to support passengers with a range of access needs, including:

• visually impaired people
• people with cognitive impairments
• people who are neurodivergent

Research would be required to identify those colour schemes which would be most effective in meeting the needs of disabled people with a range of impairments, and the likely impact on the propensity and confidence of such people to travel as a consequence of the measure.

Providing technology to monitor live vehicle capacity

Such technology is already available but further work is required to understand its efficacy in a variety of contexts and its impact on passenger behaviour, particularly in relation to use of wheelchair spaces.

Climate control

Investigate the impact of using climate control on buses to improve passenger experience and comfort.

Research would be required to investigate whether the climate of driving cabs and passenger saloons could be controlled separately, as well as the impact on fuel/energy consumption and service provision.

Colour coding priority seats

Investigate the potential to use colour schemes for priority seats that are different to other seating colour schemes, to improve their identification.

Priority seats could be provided in a colour or pattern (such as ‘disability purple) which clearly distinguishes them from other seats to enhance their identification without increasing potential stigma for disabled passengers.

Research and collaborative working is required to:

• identify potential colour schemes
• test the impact of these colour schemes on passenger behaviour and perceptions