The National Centre for Accessible Transport (ncat) has announced the selection of its first cohort of innovation projects to receive funding through the Scaling Innovation Programme.
Launched in October 2024, this initiative aims to integrate innovative, future-focused solutions into the transport system to enhance accessibility.
The NCAT selected projects are:
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- Bristol Braille Technology CIC: Tactile maps of British public transport, enabling blind people to better navigate and understand the transport network
- Brunel University London: A proof-of-concept intelligent vehicle that integrates head movement control, eye tracking, Bluetooth connectivity, and ultrasonic obstacle avoidance to enhance accessibility, autonomy, and safety for users with mobility impairments
- Living options Devon: An accredited Disability Awareness Training module for bus drivers to improve interactions with disabled passengers
- Ostrum Tech Limited: A trial that aims to help airports and airlines better understand the challenges faced by disabled people, enhance their confidence in disability awareness, and improve support for disabled travellers
- Oxford Brookes University: An economical and lightweight power add-on device for manual wheelchairs. It is compact and modular, enabling use in constrained spaces and eliminating range anxiety, empowering users and giving them autonomy
- Podaris Limited: The development of A+PTAL (Accessible Public Transport Access Level), an advanced accessibility metric that helps transport planners and authorities better understand, measure, and improve network accessibility for disabled people through scoring instead of binary assessments
- React Accessibility Limited: An ‘at-the-bus-stop’ bus request feature, enabling blind and visually impaired passengers to automatically request their bus to stop, making boarding and onward travel easier
- Supersmith Limited: Development of the 3Scooter to address challenges faced by disabled people in accessing shared micromobility schemes, including issues with incompatible street environments and vehicles.
- The Disability Policy Centre Limited: The Disability Policy Centre has created a Street Transformation Execution Plan to address barriers to street access for disabled people
- Transport for All: A nationally applicable digital tool that helps design accessible streets by identifying the impact of street features on the diverse needs of disabled people
- Virtual Tour Experts: An interactive virtual tour platform, supported by British Sign Language, to help deaf and disabled people confidently navigate Exmouth’s transport hubs and public spaces. The platform offers accessible pre-journey planning and intuitive wayfinding tools
- Xrai Limited: XRAI has developed an AI speech app that transcribes and translates in 140 languages
NCAT stated that the projects were selected based on their potential to address these challenges and their scalability, with an emphasis on making a significant impact and extending beyond the initial scope.
Additionally, projects that demonstrated meaningful involvement with disabled people and a deep understanding of end-user needs were prioritised.
Deputy CEO at Living Options Devon Heather Brown said: “We are proud to be part of the ncat Scaling Innovation programme.
“As a Disabled People’s Organisation (DPO), coproduction is at the heart of everything we do.
“This grant will support us in improving the experience of bus transport for disabled people, while also equipping bus drivers with the knowledge and confidence to welcome all passengers.
“We’re inspired by the brilliant ideas from the other organisations involved in this programme and look forward to seeing the impact we can all make together!”
Achievements in accessibility & disability will be recognised and celebrated at the fourth annual CiTTi Awards on 25 November 2025 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector!
