Skip to content

Fears quiet electric buses pose danger to blind people

Claire HamiltonPolitical Reporter Merseyside
News imageLiverpool city region combined authority Two bright yellow double decker buses are plugged into a charging point. Behind them, you can see a long line of other buses. Liverpool city region combined authority
One hundred electric vehicles are part of the Liverpool City Region's new fleet of buses

Fears have been raised that blind pedestrians might be at risk from electric buses that have been rolled out in Merseyside.

One hundred vehicles will be part of a fleet of new low-emission buses which have been bought by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA).

A caller to BBC Radio Merseyside, Chris, from Huyton, said that as a blind man he was worried about how quiet the vehicles could be.

Metropolitan mayor Steve Rotheram acknowledged that the buses "were very, very quiet", and said they should "emit some kind of noise" to alert visually-impaired pedestrians.

News imageClaire Hamilton/BBC News Two men in high visibility vests are standing in front of a bus at a dept. They are smiling at the camera, holding a bright yellow placard which says "we've taken back control". Claire Hamilton/BBC News
Minister for Buses and Local Transport Simon Lightwood and Steve Rotheram at the launch of the first publicly controlled bus routes to run under public control in the Liverpool city region

A law came into effect in 2021 that required electric buses and cars to emit a noise, but only when travelling at low speeds or reversing.

Chris said he used a white cane to find the kerb, and that he was always "listening and listening" for engine noise from buses and other traffic to ensure it was safe to cross.

He said electric cars were harder to hear, and that he feared the new buses would be the same.

Rotheram said he understood the concern. He added he had been on an exercise with the Royal National Institute for the Blind to simulate the experience of passengers with visual impairments.

He said he wore "glasses that obscure your view", which were "unbelievably disconcerting".

He said: "It took me ages afterwards to sort of re-assimilate, because all your other senses are saying, oh my God, what's happening here? It feels really uneasy".

News imageLCRCA A group of two men and two women, plus a guide dog, are walking along a pavement. They are all smiling. One of the women is holding the guide dog's lead in one hand and a white cane in the other. LCRCA
Steve Rotheram joined members of the RNIB to experience public transport from their perspective

Rotheram said he would "support moves at national level" to look at ways to address the concerns around electric buses noise levels, and ensure bus noises would be distinct from electric cars, vans or scooters".

He said there were now audio announcements on all buses informing passengers of the next stop.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.

More on this story