Passengers help design the bus shelters of tomorrow
03 Apr 2025 / News.jpg)
New research is putting passengers at the heart of shaping the future of bus shelter designs.
The report, from independent watchdog Transport Focus and Clear Channel UK, highlights the critical role well-designed bus shelters have in enhancing the passenger experience.
Based on feedback from more than 3,000 bus passengers across Great Britain, the research underscores the need for shelters that prioritise protection, accessibility and comfort, safety and information. Whilst emphasising the importance of involving passengers in the design process for new bus shelters.
Survey results
When asked what they’d like to see, passengers referenced improved seating, with only 15% of passengers finding seating in its current state comfortable. Providing increased protection from weather and accurate real-time information features were also cited as necessary changes.
Passengers also specified that developments to signage, lighting, and digital information displays would support disabled passengers facing significant challenges, with 65% of visually impaired and 61% of mobility-impaired users struggling to use shelters.
Nearly half of passengers reported that dim or broken lighting severely affects their sense of security, particularly at night. Upgrading lighting, installing CCTV, and adding help points could greatly enhance safety and peace of mind.
These findings follow Transport Focus’s national flagship bus survey Your Bus Journey, which found that bus stops and the boarding experience are the third biggest influence on bus passenger satisfaction.
A call to action: co-design shelters with passengers
The report calls for the bus industry and local authorities to co-design bus shelters with users, ensuring that people with mobility and sensory impairments are included in the process.
User feedback should be integrated at every stage of the design and build process, allowing for model testing, option refinement, and meaningful user influence on the final outcome. By incorporating real user feedback, bus shelters can be made more inclusive, safer, and environmentally sustainable.
Louise Collins, director at the independent watchdog Transport Focus, said: “Bus shelters matter to passengers. A well-designed bus shelter offers more than just a place to wait for a bus – it can turn a journey into a pleasant, safe, and comfortable experience.” “Working with Clear Channel and the wider bus industry, we’re making sure passengers are at the heart of bus shelter designs and future standards. Ensuring user views are involved in every stage of the design and build process will help ensure they are more comfortable, provide good quality accurate information and are accessible to all.”
Neil Chapman, Product Design Director at Clear Channel Europe and UK, said: “Legacy design bus shelters continue to be the norm across the UK. This research reinforces what we’ve long believed - that bus shelters need to be reimagined, with the passenger experience as the focal point.” “We have consistently innovated to increase the functionality of bus shelters, to help tackle local and national challenges; however, now is the time to create a national standard for bus shelters to ensure sufficient protection, accessibility, comfort, safety and information for all bus users. We want to work with bus users, local authorities and transport operators to deliver this to help get more people on to buses!”
Amanda Mitchell, Executive Director of Fundraising at disability equality charity Scope, said: “Accessibility benefits the entire community, and it needs to be a priority for all businesses and town planners.” “Far too often, disabled people are an afterthought when services and facilities are introduced. When disabled people are not even able to read the timetable or have suitable seating at the bus stop, they can often feel like a second-class citizen.” “This research shows how much insight and experience disabled people can bring to the table. It’s vital that bus operators and councils continue their work to make all bus stops accessible.”
Rachel Wilkinson, Head of Engagement at Thomas Pocklington Trust, said: "Thomas Pocklington Trust and Sight Loss Councils are dedicated to making public transport accessible for blind and partially sighted people, with one in three rarely or never using public transport. Our volunteers and staff share their own lived experiences of accessing transport to help make this happen.” “We’re proud to support Clear Channel, an organisation putting passengers at the forefront when designing future bus stops. We recognise the importance of waiting comfortably in a safe, accessible space with access to real-time information. After attending a recent transport roundtable, we look forward to trialling the new bus stop designs and providing feedback from the perspective of blind and partially sighted passengers."
Research in action
Transport Focus and Clear Channel hosted a roundtable with bus operators, transport authorities and accessibility charities to share the findings and discuss their implementation.
Further discussions between Transport Focus, the Department for Transport and the wider bus industry will be held to explore whether a national standard for bus stops with specific facilities as a minimum could be useful. The roundtable highlighted the importance of developing new guidance and standards in partnership with transport authorities, who will be responsible for their implementation.
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