International Day of Older People

This year, we are highlighting International Day of Older People - Wednesday 1 October - to raise awareness of the issues many must overcome just to go about their daily lives.

Bus services are vital for many - but particularly for the elderly. They provide valuable connections to local communities, with links to the shops, hospitals, GP surgeries, cafes, and to friends and family.

What’s more, those who are state pension age or older, may travel by bus for free. To do so, they can apply for a concessionary pass via the local authority they pay their council tax to.

At Bluestar, we are committed to ensuring our services are accessible for all - and we understand the issues some of our older passengers must overcome, often on a daily basis. Here are a few things that we provide:

• Priority seating close to the doors, for anyone with mobility issues.
• On-board ‘next stop’ audio announcements to help people who may not be familiar with a route.
• Our drivers are also trained to be ‘Dementia Friends’ and are dedicated to making those passengers’ journeys as comfortable and stress-free as possible.
• Any new buses that we order are fitted with lighter coloured floors as those who have dementia often fear darker spaces.
• To ensure all those travelling with us feel safe and secure, our buses are also fitted with CCTV.

These features are not exclusively for older people - but they are fundamental to making our more senior customers feel welcome on-board - no matter the challenges they may face elsewhere.

We know our app is a popular tool for planning journeys and buying tickets, but not everyone has access to it. So, we are one of the few bus operators to still provide printed timetables. And, for those who like to speak face-to-face to customer advisors, our colleagues are standing by to provide assistance at our Southampton city centre travel shop.

And we are asking others to be considerate too - perhaps if those in front of them are unable to move as quickly, or if it seems appropriate to offer up a seat. It’s about enabling older people to lead active, healthy, and involved lives - and helping over-come the barriers faced by some who are simply seeking independence, inclusion and equality.