BSL on our railways: are Deaf passengers getting the information they need?

By Tim Scannell | Draft, 17 October 2026 Based on FOI replies received so far; further responses remain outstanding.

I am Deaf, and British Sign Language is my first language. When a train is cancelled, a platform changes or an emergency happens, I want to understand what is happening and what I need to do.

Over my recent LinkedIn posts, I have explored how BSL passenger information is provided, what railway organisations have confirmed through Freedom of Information requests, and what usage figures actually measure.

Bringing these findings together raises a practical question: can a Deaf passenger receive clear, timely information throughout their journey, especially when something changes unexpectedly?

What does “BSL available” mean?

A station screen, a video on a phone and a conversation with a human interpreter offer different kinds of access. Each can be valuable, but a station count alone doesn't tell passengers what information they will receive.

The replies below describe different services and scopes. Their figures should not be added together and presented as a complete national total.

Network Rail: 19 managed stations, with information linked to operational systems

In its response dated 18 September 2026, Network Rail confirmed that BSL information was available at the 19 stations it directly manages, excluding HS1 stations. It did not hold comprehensive figures for stations managed by train operating companies.

Network Rail explained that information about cancellations, platform alterations and delays is normally updated through industry systems, which then update station screens and associated BSL content.

However, manually spoken station announcements are not automatically translated into BSL. They do not automatically appear on screens either. Information needs to be entered into the relevant systems before screens and linked BSL services update.

Network Rail held no specific data measuring delays between audio announcements and BSL displays. It also could not explain the basis of the figure of more than 2,500 stations mentioned in my request.

This identifies an important dependency: information spoken by a member of staff does not automatically become accessible through the linked BSL service. The response does not establish that there are only 19 stations with BSL across Britain.

Govia Thameslink Railway: screens and human interpreting serve different purposes

GTR’s response dated 13 October 2026 covers Southern, Great Northern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express.

It confirmed that L.B. Foster screens with BSL functionality were installed at 15 stations. Separately, Convo’s BSL interpretation service was available at ALL GTR-managed stations.

GTR said the screens provide BSL information about planned final destinations and reasons for delays or cancellations. They do not provide BSL information about intermediate calling points or unplanned service changes.

The information identified for the request did not confirm screen-based BSL coverage for platform changes, route changes or emergencies. Manually spoken public-address announcements were not currently translated into BSL.

Convo enables a Deaf customer to communicate with station staff through a BSL interpreter. That is valuable human support, but the response does not describe it as an automated passenger-information feed.

GTR also could not establish from the identified records whether the screen content uses recorded human signing, AI-generated signing or a combination. It would therefore be inaccurate to describe these screens as confirmed AI BSL services.

West Midlands Trains: a defined, limited use

West Midlands Trains’ response dated 16 October 2026 identified 24 stations, named Signapse as the provider and described a recorded avatar displayed on platform screens.

The stations listed were Adderley Park, Stechford, Lea Hall, Marston Green, Hampton in Arden, Berkswell, Tile Hill, Canley, Long Buckby, Northampton, Wolverton, Milton Keynes, Bletchley, Leighton Buzzard, Cheddington, Tring, Berkhamsted, Hemel Hempstead, Apsley, Kings Langley, Watford Junction, Nuneaton, Atherstone and Tamworth.

The reply said BSL was currently used only for information about non-stopping trains passing through stations. None of the requested live categories—delays, cancellations, platform changes, route changes or emergencies—was provided through this service.

It separately identified QR codes at Smethwick Galton Bridge, Wolverhampton, Telford Central, Shifnal and Wellington. The reply does not give enough detail to treat those QR codes as equivalent to the platform-screen service.

Manually spoken announcements were not translated into BSL. WMT held no recorded information within the requested categories concerning timing delays, accessibility testing, equality or safety assessments, Deaf-passenger feedback, quality evaluations or complaints.

This confirms a deployment with a specific purpose. The description “recorded avatar” alone does not explain the content-production or checking process. Equally, a response saying an organisation holds no records does not prove that no work has been undertaken elsewhere.

South Western Railway: understanding the One Scan figures

SWR’s response dated 21 September 2026 explains why overall service use and BSL engagement must be reported separately.

The 700,000-plus figure refers to total scans of One Scan since its launch in 2023. SWR said BSL usage was recorded through a different analytics system and should not be treated as a subset of that scan figure.

For 1 September 2025 to 1 September 2026, SWR reported:

BSL measure	Recorded figure
Video starts	3,126
Individual users initiating a video	1,334
Completed video plays	847
Individual users completing a video	349

The introductory video accounted for 2,807 starts, or 89.8% of all BSL starts. Station-departure announcements accounted for 143, next-station announcements 107, specific train-journey videos 51 and other content 18.

These figures cover different periods and measurement systems from the overall scan total. Dividing 3,126 by 700,000 would not produce a meaningful BSL uptake rate.

Nor do video starts or completions establish whether passengers understood the information or completed their journeys successfully. The figures raise useful questions about discovery, navigation and practical usefulness, but do not answer those questions on their own.

What Deaf passengers said

GTR also disclosed a summary of a British Deaf Association consultation involving 25 participants across three sessions, including station visits and rail journeys.

Participants welcomed BSL functionality on some station totems while identifying gaps in accessible information during emergencies and unexpected changes.

The recommendations included involving Deaf people before introducing improvements, improving visual announcements and staff awareness, and ensuring any AI or avatar solution is independently quality-assured and transparent to the Deaf community.

This consultation is valuable evidence of participants’ experiences. It is not a national survey or proof that every station performs in the same way.

What should we measure next?

My view is that evaluation should follow the passenger’s experience:

• Can people find the BSL service without already knowing it exists?

• Does it cover the information they need during disruption?

• Is the signing understandable, accurate and appropriate to the message?

• How quickly does it appear after an operational change?

• Can passengers ask questions and obtain human support?

• Does it help them make the right decision and travel independently?

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For emergency information, testing should assess whether people understand the action required, where to go and how urgently to respond.

Deaf BSL users and qualified Deaf language reviewers should have meaningful roles in design, testing and ongoing review. Organisations should explain who checks the content, how errors are reported and what happens when a system cannot provide the information required.

Clearer evidence can support better access

I welcome investment in BSL access. These FOI replies describe useful services alongside limits and unanswered questions.

The findings concern the deployments described by the responding organisations. They do not establish the full capabilities of a supplier’s technology or assign responsibility for every gap.

Operators and providers can help by publishing clear information about where each service operates, which announcements it covers, how it is checked and how passengers can obtain support.

For me, success means being able to understand what is happening, make an informed decision and continue my journey safely and confidently.

That is the outcome I want railway accessibility to deliver.

Source documents

• Network Rail FOI response, 18 September 2026, public redacted copy.

• South Western Railway One Scan FOI response, 21 September 2026, public redacted copy.

• GTR FOI response, 13 October 2026.

• GTR / British Deaf Association report, 2025, disclosed summary extract.

• West Midlands Trains FOI response, 16 October 2026.

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This draft reflects those documents as received. Further FOI replies or clarification, may add to or change the picture.