The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) is planning to trial the use of a public transport journey planner app for people with long term health conditions.
It has developed the app with transport planning platform provider You Smart Thing and called for disabled volunteers to take part in the trial, which is part of the IncludeMe WM programme.
It is aiming to develop a service to co-ordinate the provision of assistance for travel, by alerting transport operators and destination hosts at each stage of a journey when a person needing support is on the way.
The trial will take place on transport routes serving four West Midlands leisure facilities in Coventry and Wolverhampton: Coventry Life The Wave; Coventry Life Alan Higgs Centre; Wolverhampton Active Central; abnd Wolverhampton Active Bert Williams Leisure Centre
WMCA said that people who participate in the trial will have their cost of the journey covered automatically on booking and receive Amazon vouchers at the end of each journey.
Welcoming and accessible
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said, “We are always striving as a region to make our transport network as friendly, welcoming and accessible as possible.
“With this aim in mind, I am pleased as a region we champion our IncludeMe WM agenda which sets out our ambition to be an exemplar region for engaging with and encouraging physical activity amongst disabled people and those with other long term health conditions.
“We are inviting residents to volunteer to trial a new app that provides the less able bodied with a journey planner designed to remove barriers they may face whilst navigating public transport. I encourage locals to step forward and help improve quality of life for the fellow West Midlanders.”
