Free app offered to rail passengers to navigate four stations

Rail passengers can now use a free app that gives them the confidence to navigate four Northern stations independently.

Customers can use GoodMaps to guide them around Manchester Victoria, Bolton, Blackpool North and Meadowhall, as part of a one-year exclusive trial. 

The AI-driven app is designed to assist travellers who are unfamiliar with the stations, including those with visual or hearing impairments, neurodiverse individuals and people who do not speak English as a first language. 

Offering step-by-step audio guidance and a visual map that is available in a range of languages, the app is currently used by customers at most major stations in the UK as well as some tram and bus stations in Greater Manchester. 

Mark Cutter, Chair of Northern's Accessibility User Group, said: “Train stations can be busy, noisy and disorientating places. 

"Working with GoodMaps, Northern is making it easier to navigate these challenging spaces and reducing the barriers faced by many passengers." 

Alex Hornby, Northern’s Commercial and Customer Director, said: “Driving up accessibility standards across the railway is key for Northern and this is yet another example of how we are giving customers more confidence to travel around four of our stations. 

“This trial will help inform us in the years ahead and is part of our ongoing work to make our stations and services more accessible. 

"We would really welcome feedback from our customers on the app and how else we can create further improvements.” 

Robin Gisby, DFTO chief executive officer, explained that making railways inclusive for everyone, everywhere was a collective mission for its train operating companies. 

He added: “The trial of GoodMaps across four of Northern’s stations will empower more and more people, including those with visual or hearing impairments, to travel by train with the same confidence as everyone else.” 

Customers can find out more about the free app and download it here. 

It comes after Northern made its website more accessible for people looking to check train times and find out the latest information about services, by installing Recite Me. 

The new software allows people to change the font, text size and text colour or use a read-aloud function. 

It is designed to be used by a wide range of people, including neurodivergent individuals and those with visual impairments. 

Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with 2,500 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England.