Accessibility app to cover more than 200 stations

Govia Thameslink Railway operates Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express and Great Northern services

An app to help guide blind and partially sighted passengers around railway stations is being rolled out to more than 200 stations in 11 counties.

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), which operates Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express and Great Northern services, said the app will be available from Thursday at the 236 stations it manages.

The app, called Aira Explorer guidance, allows customers to place a video call with a trained advisor who looks through the customer's smartphone camera to guide them around the station on speakerphone.

It had previously only been available at 12 stations on the network as part of a trial run by Sight Loss Councils and national charity Thomas Pocklington Trust.

GTR accessibility lead Carl Martin said: “This app helps blind and partially sighted people travel independently, whether that’s to locate a member of staff for assistance when they first arrive at the station or to simply find the ticket office or grab a coffee.”

The app can be downloaded from the Apple Store or Google Play.