In June, Nottingham Express Transit (NET) and Nottingham City Transport (NCT) ran special ‘Try a Tram’ and ‘Try a Bus’ events for students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Over two days, the city’s public transport operators gave more than 120 SEND students from schools and colleges across Nottinghamshire an insight into travelling around the city by exploring tram and bus stops and meeting support staff and the drivers.

As well as building the students’ confidence and familiarity with the bus and tram services, the students gained practical knowledge of using public transport to help them feel more comfortable planning and making journeys around Nottingham.

Nottingham Express Transit is a fully accessible network, and every bus provides audio and next stop announcements; the newest buses are fitted with hearing loops, priority seats, and two wheelchair bays. All Nottingham City Transport bus drivers are currently being retrained on disabilities to ensure disabled passengers receive the best possible service.

Further information about the help and support that is available when travelling by trams in the city can be found here, or information about travelling by bus and the support available can be found here.

Maintenance work on the lifts at Station Street will disrupt access to the Nottingham Station tram stop.

Nottingham Express Transit (NET) has also announced that the lifts at the Station Street tram stop will be closed until 14th August because of essential maintenance work. In May, the company ran a safety campaign highlighting the impact of road traffic collisions across the city’s tram network, highlighting that the cost of a single collision can exceed £100,000.

“We’re always looking at ways to improve education and accessibility across our network, because we believe it’s incredibly important that all tram users feel confident when travelling with us. It’s something we’re really passionate about, and we have a range of initiatives and tools to help us on that mission.”

“Events like these really help to reinforce our commitment, as they allow us to provide more hands-on practical support, while empowering SEND students to travel independently. We know that for some, busy trams can be a daunting environment, especially those with special educational needs, but through initiatives such as ‘Try a Tram’ and ‘Try a Bus’, we’re pleased to hopefully be able to encourage more people to use public transport to explore all our city has to offer.”

Luke Taylor, Customer Experience Manager, Nottingham Express Transit