Tim Scannell Accessibility Consultant

28/09/2026

🚆 🚌 Public transport should be accessible throughout the whole journey.

Thank you to RNID for publishing Clear Signals, funded by the Motability Foundation. In RNID’s research, 77% of deaf people and people with hearing loss surveyed reported significant barriers when using public transport. Among BSL users, the figure was 94%.

I have shared my concerns about transport access over the past year:

📍 11 July 2025 — BSL avatar at Apsley station: Is the safety message clear to Deaf BSL users?
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tim-scannell_deafcommunity-bsl-apsley-activity-7349478309811875843-pr4k

📍 12 July 2025 — Follow-up on safety and clarity: What happens when a signed safety message is confusing?
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tim-scannell_deafperspective-bsl-accessibility-activity-7349682196795793408-XOkR

📍 4 September 2025 — AI BSL in public services: Questions I raised after contacting 35 train companies.
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tim-scannell_serious-risks-around-current-ai-bsl-procurement-activity-7369331691301130240-RSA2

📍 26 November 2025 — “Real-time” BSL claims: Does a system cover unexpected tannoy announcements?
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tim-scannell_alert-real-time-sign-language-claims-activity-7399438518545969153-Jk69

📍 8 December 2025 — Tiny BSL windows on departure boards: Can passengers see and use the information?
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tim-scannell_why-tiny-bsl-screens-arent-enough-the-need-activity-7403909826319392768-YE6n

📍 7 September 2026 — Accessible travel must follow the whole journey:
https://www.timscannell.co.uk/post/from-home-to-holiday-why-accessible-travel-must-follow-the-whole-journey

📍 18 September 2026 — From information screens to two-way Deaf communication:
https://www.timscannell.co.uk/post/from-public-information-screens-to-two-way-deaf-communication

As a Deaf BSL user, I want to receive clear information when a journey changes. I also need to be able to ask a question and understand the answer. An accessible screen is helpful, but access must work across the whole journey.

I hope transport providers read RNID’s findings and work with Deaf passengers to test what happens during delays, platform changes and other unexpected situations.

📖 Read RNID’s Clear Signals report:
https://rnid.org.uk/what-we-do/policy-and-influencing/clear-signals-improving-transport-accessibility/

Our new report reveals widespread challenges for deaf people and those with hearing loss in using public transport in the UK.

28/09/2026

What happens when a Deaf audience member needs a speaker to explain something?

At a live event, a microphone may send the speaker’s words to an AI system, which then produces signing on a screen. But how does the system choose the signs? Does it translate the speaker’s meaning into natural BSL, or match recognised English words to stored signs?

Context matters. “The rest of the year” is different from “take a rest”. “Don’t egg him on” is not about an egg. Recognising the words correctly is only one part of getting the message right.

A human interpreter can follow the conversation as it develops and seek clarification if the meaning is unclear. A Deaf audience member can ask a question and receive the speaker’s answer in BSL.

How does that two-way conversation work when access is provided by a digital signer on a screen? What happens if someone asks an unexpected question, the speaker corrects themselves, or a term needs explaining?

I would like event organisers to test those situations with Deaf BSL users. Access means being able to take part when the conversation changes, as well as follow the presentation.

ALT text: “A Deaf attendee signs a question from the audience while a presenter looks towards her on stage. A digital signer appears on a large screen behind the presenter.”

22/09/2026

THE SIGN LANGUAGE SCREEN MAY LOOK LIVE. BUT IS IT REALLY TRANSLATING THE LIVE TANNOY?

This question applies worldwide, including BSL, ASL, LSF, LSQ and other national and regional sign languages.

My Freedom of Information response from Network Rail confirmed:
“Manual station announcements are not automatically translated into BSL and do not automatically appear on station screens.”

If a staff member makes a live announcement about disruption, a platform change or an emergency, will a Deaf passenger receive that information in BSL?

In some situations, the answer may be no.

Network Rail explained that BSL content may appear when delays, cancellations or platform changes are entered into railway operational systems.

But that is not the same as translating the live tannoy.

Providers often use words such as “live,” “instant” and “real time.” But what do they mean?
• Is it translating a live announcement?
• Does it use operational data?
• Is it prerecorded?
• Is it made by joining separate BSL glosses?
• Does it use natural BSL grammar or English word order?
• How long does it take to appear?

Passengers must also be able to see the screen from where they are standing or sitting.

One access option is not enough. Transport information should offer several options, including captions, sign language and Auracast.

Sign language and captions should provide the complete message from beginning to end. Providing these options together is more accessible and reliable than relying on only one.

Deaf passengers should not need a Freedom of Information request to discover what an accessibility system cannot do.

BREAK THE SILENCE. PUBLISH THE EVIDENCE.
I have added more about transparency and Deaf leadership in the comments.

18/09/2026

Where can Deaf passengers actually find BSL information at railway stations?

I recently received an official Freedom of Information response from Network Rail.

As of 18 September 2026, it confirms:
• BSL information is available at all 19 stations directly managed by Network Rail, excluding HS1 stations
• Network Rail does not hold complete figures for stations managed by other train operating companies
• Manually spoken tannoy announcements are not automatically translated into BSL
• Manual announcements do not automatically appear on station information screens
• Network Rail holds no specific information about delays between audio announcements and BSL displays
• Network Rail could not explain the basis of the publicly mentioned figure of more than 2,500 stations

The point about tannoy announcements is especially important.

During emergencies, cancellations or unexpected platform changes, Deaf passengers need the same information at the same time as everyone else.

Technology that could be installed is not the same as BSL that Deaf passengers can actually find and access today.

Accessibility must be measured through the real experiences of Deaf passengers.

I have attached a redacted copy of the FOI response. My personal details and commercial provider names have been removed, but the findings, date and reference number remain unchanged.

Network Rail FOI reference: FOI2026/01636


https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tim-scannell_where-can-deaf-passengers-find-bsl-at-railway-activity-7506739664570077185-SBSC?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAfVDxEBUlYb7g-FMydDz_Dy9BiPrexkXwM

07/09/2026

A new update on my Access to Work renewal.

I called Access to Work today through a BSL interpreting service. The adviser checked my record and told me that no reasonable adjustment was recorded against my name. He was surprised too.

I am Deaf, BSL is my first language, and Access to Work had previously agreed to communicate with me by email. When necessary, I also need communication through BSL/video relay.

My renewal was submitted on 4 April. My previous award expired on 26 June, and I have now been waiting for more than five months.

I gave my caseworker written permission on 27 August to contact my employer about my role and support needs.

Despite this, my communication adjustment was apparently not recorded.

This is not a small administrative detail. If a Deaf person’s communication needs
are missing from the system, how can they receive accessible updates, take part properly in an assessment or resolve problems with their support?

I have confirmed paid work on 10 and 17 September that requires two BSL interpreters. The delay is now putting my work and income at risk.

My MP’s office has followed up with DWP because of the urgency. I hope Access to Work will now correct my record and make a decision without further delay.

Reasonable adjustments must not only be agreed. They must be recorded, understood and followed.

03/09/2026

The AI Sign Language Landscape (2026)

For the past two years, I have been following organisations working with AI and sign language.

What I have learned is that they are not all trying to solve the same problem.

Some are developing foundation AI and linguistic research. Others are working on sign-language avatars, sign recognition, smart glasses, enterprise accessibility or new applications. Some Video Relay Service providers are also exploring how AI might support their services in the future.

It can be difficult to understand how all these different areas fit together, so I have created an infographic showing the landscape as I currently see it. I have also connected it to the principles in my Sign Language AI Maturity Model.

This is not intended to be a final or complete list. The field is changing quickly, and I am still learning.

You can read my full blog here:
The AI Sign Language Landscape (2026): Not Everyone Is Solving the Same Problem

I would genuinely welcome feedback. Have I missed an organisation, project or emerging technology that should be included?

01/09/2026

Accessibility is not an add-on. Communication matters.

When people think about deafness, they often focus only on hearing:

“You can’t hear.”
“You wear hearing aids, so communication must be fine.”

But hearing aids do not remove every communication barrier. Deafness affects how we access conversations, information and services.

These barriers can appear at school, at work, in healthcare, when using public services and during emergencies. Facing them repeatedly can also lead to isolation, anxiety and poorer mental health.

It makes me ask: where is the Purple Pound for Deaf people?

Organisations often talk about disability inclusion, but Deaf people are still left out of important decisions. Services and policies are frequently designed around spoken communication, sometimes by people with little knowledge of BSL, Deaf culture or Deaf people’s everyday experiences.

There has been progress. The BSL Act 2022 was important, and greater visibility of sign language on television, including programmes such as Strictly Come Dancing, has helped more people become aware of BSL.

But visibility and awareness are only the beginning.

The Deaf community has a long and proud history. The Deaflympics began in 1924 and are among the oldest international sporting events in the world. Despite this, Deaf people remain underrepresented in leadership, employment, accessibility planning and decisions about investment.

I also continue to see experienced Deaf professionals overlooked while people without the same lived experience make decisions on their behalf.

The answer is not Deaf people working alone or hearing people working alone. We need to work together, combining lived experience with professional knowledge and shared responsibility.

Communication accessibility should be considered from the beginning of every policy, service and new technology.

Nothing about us without us.

Imagine what could change if communication accessibility received the same attention as physical accessibility.



Read the full blog: https://www.timscannell.co.uk/blog

25/08/2026

A defibrillator can save a life. But what happens if you cannot make a voice call?

These two images made me think about something important.

A public defibrillator usually tells people to dial 999. But does it explain what a Deaf person should do?

Does it show:
How to contact the emergency services without making a voice call?
What accessible options are available?
How to communicate with the call handler?

This is personal for me.

On two separate occasions, I helped rescue people who had drowned. I was able to help save their lives, but hearing people made the 999 calls.

I have often wondered what would have happened if no hearing person had been there.

This problem goes beyond defibrillators. Deaf people still face audio-only intercoms, car park barriers, voice-only emergency systems and public announcements with no visual alternative.

We often talk about Deaf awareness as communication tips. I believe we need to go further.

Deaf Awareness 2.0 means thinking about accessibility from the beginning—especially when someone’s life could depend on it.

I provide practical Deaf Awareness training for organisations:
✅ One-hour awareness sessions
✅ Half-day workshops
✅ Full-day training

If your organisation would like to make communication safer and more accessible, please visit:

🌐 www.timscannell.co.uk
Read my blog: www.timscannell.co.uk/blog

18/08/2026

Could your organisation help save a life?

Deaf awareness is about much more than learning a few communication tips.
It is also about safety.

Would your staff know what to do if a Deaf person could not hear an alarm, understand an urgent announcement or communicate during an emergency?

I deliver practical Deaf Awareness training based on the real barriers Deaf people face. Each session can be adapted to your organisation and your staff.

Training options include:
One-hour awareness sessions
Half-day workshops
Full-day training

Small changes can make communication clearer, improve inclusion and sometimes make a life-saving difference.

If you would like more information or a quote, please visit:
www.timscannell.co.uk

Let’s move beyond basic Deaf awareness and make communication accessible before an emergency happens.

Read the full blog: https://www.timscannell.co.uk/blog

13/08/2026

Over the past few months, I have written about AI and sign language:

Accessibility Is Not an Add-On
The Communication Preference Layer
The Sign Language AI Manifesto

Recently, I watched a presentation by a Deaf speaker in France about AI and deafness.

The presentation covered both AI and the possibility of a “cure” for deafness. But during the Q&A, nearly every question focused on AI. There seemed to be very little discussion about a cure.

That stayed in my mind.

Why are people more comfortable discussing AI than discussing a cure for deafness?

Perhaps AI feels more immediate because it is already becoming part of our daily lives. A cure is different. It is much more personal.

For some people, a cure could represent hope or medical progress. For others, it raises difficult questions about Deaf identity, sign language and culture.

The issue is not simply whether AI could help develop new treatments.

The bigger question is:
As AI becomes more involved in healthcare, who decides what needs to be “cured”?

Deaf people will not all have the same opinion—and that is exactly why personal choice matters.

AI should expand our choices, not make those choices for us.

I would be interested to hear different views, particularly from Deaf people, researchers, healthcare professionals and AI developers.

How can we make sure future medical AI supports innovation while still respecting Deaf identity and individual choice?

Read the full blog: www.timscannell.co.uk/blog