TPE introduces "Social Stories" to enrich the travel experience for neurodiverse passengers

TPE are excited to launch our first ‘Social Stories’, which are aimed at enhancing the travel experience for individuals with autism, learning disabilities, and social anxieties.

These are narrative descriptions and graphics of everyday situations, designed to help individuals understand social cues, anticipate events, and navigate unfamiliar scenarios with confidence.

We recognise that traveling by train can be overwhelming for many people, and we want all of our customers to feel confident and safe when travelling with us.

They can be found under the ‘Neurodiversity and anxiety support’ section of our Accessibility page.

So far we’ve launched Social Stories for:

• Taking a Train Ride
• A Travel Checklist
• Taking a Rail Replacement Bus
• Taking a Rail Replacement Taxi

This is an ongoing project, and we will continue to produce Social Stories of different scenarios and topics, taking on board feedback from customers and our Neurodiversity Network Group.

Amy French, Accessibility Coordinator at TransPennine Express, said: “We’re really pleased to be the first train operator to introduce Social Stories as a part of our ongoing commitment to making rail travel more inclusive.

“We recognise that traveling by train can be overwhelming for many people, and we want all of our customers to feel confident and safe when travelling with us. 

“That’s why we’ve launched our Social Stories, which help take away as many surprises when travelling as possible and allow customers to have an idea of what to expect from the comfort of their own homes.”

The Social Stories are developed using training delivered by the North West Autism & SEND Consultancy and are tailored to the unique needs of neurodiverse individuals and those with social anxieties.

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