Accessibility innovators chosen for Bristol Temple Meads testbed

20.03.25, LONDON, Connected Places Catapult, the UK’s innovation accelerator for transport, the built environment, cities and local growth, announced today that two organisations with rail related technology have been selected to bring their products to trial, through the Station Innovation Zone. 

The Station Innovation Zone programme is delivered by Connected Places Catapult in partnership with Network Rail and is supported by Innovate UK. The programme aims to reduce barriers to innovation and serves as a showcase where rail technology innovators, buyers and investors can collaborate to shape the stations of tomorrow. 

The programme has already supported 20 innovative small to medium-sized enterprises, with six conducting trials over the past two years.  

For the latest trials, technology specialists Journey Alerts and Ampetronic will each receive £45,000 to support deployment of their innovations at the station over six months, starting this spring. They were selected from a group of eight companies shortlisted to develop proposals to enhance the passenger experience at Bristol Temple Meads.  

• Journey Alerts offers a friendly ‘virtual companion’ to guide anxious passengers with real-time, step-by-step instructions from start to destination. This tool eases the most anxiety-inducing aspects of rail travel for a smoother journey.

• Ampetronic has developed a system called Auri designed to make audio announcements accessible for everyone. It streams high-quality sound straight to hearing aids, cochlear implants, smartphones and earbuds, helping users hear when they need to board their train.

“Making transport more inclusive is a key focus for Connected Places Catapult, and the Station Innovation Zone programme with Network Rail is helping innovators trial their solutions in a real-life environment. With the latest trials, the Station Innovation Zone continues to demonstrate the strengths of a live testbed approach. Behind the scenes, we have multi-disciplinary teams from Network Rail and Connected Places Catapult working together to ensure the SMEs are supported to trial their tech and learn from the results.”

Dr Alan Peters, Ecosystem Director for Rail & Stations at Connected Places Catapult

“This programme provides Network Rail with a chance to push the boundaries around testing and adoption of innovative technologies to improve the station experience for passengers.”

Brian Wortman, Senior Programme Manager at Network Rail