We are currently collaborating with four universities to sponsor PhD scholarships for people with lived experience of disability to undertake research into accessible transport. The scholarships aim for disabled people to use their lived experience to develop technical knowledge within future accessible transport policy and practice.
Following a Pilot Scholarship Programme at Coventry University’s National Transport Design Centre (NTDC), we have extended the programme to include more universities and expand its scope. At NTDC, the doctoral candidates are studying the experiences of people with sight loss using the national rail system, the psychology of disabled people’s experiences using rail travel and accessible air travel.
We have recently awarded funding to prospective candidates at UCL, Newcastle University and University of Westminster, who will begin their studies in autumn 2024 and 2025. The new doctoral candidates will study a range of topics, including the use of augmented reality in mobile navigation for those with visual impairments and develop design practice to create policy and guidance for accessible travel spaces.
With students across four universities, we will look to create a peer network in the future.
Stephanie’s experience
One of the doctoral candidates at NTDC, Stephanie, is focusing her research on the psychology of disabled people’s experiences when using trains. Here, she speaks about her own experience of rail travel and how it informs her work:
Find out more
To find out more visit the National Transport Design Centre (NTDC) website.
