First autism friendly railway launched by Northern

Bayum said:

There are some really nice videos that talk about and demonstrate sensory ‘overload’. People on the autistic spectrum tend to have hyper or hypo sensory overload. As a result, their senses can be over excited by what’s going on around them or not.

Because of these things happening, the whole experience can be very very difficult for someone with autism to then focus on being ‘present’ at that moment. Ear defenders, tactile ‘toys’, sunglasses and a multitude of other techniques help to reduce this sensory overload to help someone be ‘present’ by reducing that sensory stimulation.

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Thank you for these, I have often wondered just how people with autism actually see the world and in just over 10 minutes these videos have offered a valuable insight into this. I hope that by giving Northern staff at least some more awareness on autism, and the what the signs are that someone is having anxiety related issues will help them help their passengers a little more.

On a much larger scale designers and owners of stations, trains, airports can help reduce stress levels for all users.
Some of their actions that improve access (and benefit everybody) are deliberate and some accidental. Some changes implemented- often fo commercial gain, are often no more than an irritant for some but cause real difficulty for a significant minority.

A good example is St Pancras.
We always enter via ramp from Euston Road past the Clock making our way quite slowly towards the MML platforms.
The final rise up towards the gates enables our lad to see what is up ahead and time our final push.
We always walk to the end of the platform and back.

Derby is awful.
Drop off onto bright straight platforms up big open escalators and big wide bright overbridge and crunch!
Narrow dark staircase dropping into the mass of people with prams, families, children, cases and bags, the confused, the eager etc. trying to get through the barrier and then again through the doors. We now use the other entrance.

London Underground- brilliant because of the uniformity of stations, train, colours. The walkways started off as a "magical, fairytale story where dad gets lost (that bits true) and the son rescues him", not anymore but still retain some of the excitement

Airports. Best used to be East Midlands with its big empty departure hall. Now totally and randomly cluttered. Best T5 at LHR.

unlevel42 said:

On a much larger scale designers and owners of stations, trains, airports can help reduce stress levels for all users.
Some of their actions that improve access (and benefit everybody) are deliberate and some accidental. Some changes implemented- often for commercial gain, are often no more than an irritant for some but cause real difficulty for a significant minority.

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Whilst this initiative by Northern is welcomed, I find it ironic that at the same time the only trains I feel really comfortable on, the Pacers (due to their light and airy interiors), are soon to be withdrawn!

unlevel42 said:

Derby is awful.
Drop off onto bright straight platforms up big open escalators and big wide bright overbridge and crunch!
Narrow dark staircase dropping into the mass of people with prams, families, children, cases and bags, the confused, the eager etc. trying to get through the barrier and then again through the doors. We now use the other entrance.

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Completely agree on Derby - there's only a handful of ticket gates to exit on the city centre side of the station with very little space between them and the bottom of the stairs, and people tend to avoid the wider luggage friendly gate which compounds the issue. You only need 1 person to have issues getting their ticket accepted by the gate to cause a massive crowd at the bottom of the stairs. Then there's always someone trying to use the "down only" stairs to go up to the overbridge. Can definitely see how someone with issues about crowding and noise would get affected by the chaos. The Pride Park exit is a lot better (except once you've left the station you have to contend with massive road traffic queues at peak times).

I wonder if station designers ever consult groups like the National Autistic Society as part of the design process - I suppose they usually have a requirement to improve passenger flows through the station, but the solution may not necessarily improve the experience for anyone with sensory / crowding issues.

I am awaiting diagnosis and can relate to many of these symptons. I really hate uncessary noise - so "leaking" headphones, people watching videos, talking very loudly on phones, these things really bug me. I also don't like people sitting or standing near me unless there is a logical reason to do so - and even then I don't like it. I often feel a lot of inner anger and frustration until I can get off the train in such situations. When I mentioned "meltdown" to my partner, she said that was the perfect word to describe me lol. I also relate very well to Carly's video in that post above - the feeling everyone is looking at me, its very difficult in those situations.

So any intiaitive which aims to make rail travel easier for people, whether its a mental or physical disability, should be encouraged and applauded.

I know nothing about autism, but I assume that the mentioned headphones/ear-defenders are collected by Northern at the end of the journey. Are they then sterilised before being issued again?

As someone on the autistic spectrum, I find earplugs and sunglasses helpful for sensory issues. Not just for rail travel I might add.

Is this about First or Northern?

ok, i'll get my coat!