Footscray station gets new technology to help visually impaired
A STATION in Melbourne’s west will be one of the few fitted with new technology to provide better transport access to visually impaired passengers.
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FOOTSCRAY station will be fitted with new technology in an effort to provide better transport access to visually impaired passengers.
The rollout of the wayfinding technology will see beacons installed around station concourses to help guide people with low vision or blindness.
The beacons send signals to the app BlindSquare which then translates into user-friendly directions to locations such as food outlets, toilets, lifts and escalators.
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Vision-impaired passenger Cassie Embling, who uses public transport every day, said it was often overwhelming taking the train, especially at unfamiliar stations such as Footscray.
“Going to a new station can be a little daunting sometimes because you don’t know exactly how it’s set out and how to move between the platforms,” she said.
“If there were last minute changes to platforms, it would take me quite a bit of time to figure out how to get there.”
“If it’s a crowded environment that can make things more stressful too.”
Ms Embling said the app would put her at ease when using public transport.
Public Transport Victoria (PTV) chief executive Jeroen Weimar announced the installation plan alongside Guide Dogs Victoria (GDV) chief executive Karen Hayes on International White Cane Day last week.
“This new technology will improve independent access to Melbourne’s train network for people with low vision or blindness and make it easier for them to navigate these busy stations,” Mr Weimar said.
Stations chosen to be equipped with the innovative technology also include Flinders St, Flagstaff, Parliament, Melbourne Central, and Richmond, in addition to Southern Cross which piloted the program last year.
It will be rolled out across all six stations before the end of 2018.
“It’s important that we’re working as a community to make public spaces, events and experiences more accessible to people with vision loss,” Ms Hayes said.
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