Accessibility — Transit Barometer

Public data is only public if people can actually read it. Here is what we do, what we have not yet done, and how to tell us when we get it wrong.

What we aim for

We build towards WCAG 2.1 Level AA. We want to be straight with you about the status of that: we have not commissioned an independent accessibility audit, so we describe this as our target rather than claiming certified conformance.

What we do

Real HTML structure. Headings, lists and tables are marked up as headings, lists and tables, so screen readers can navigate them properly.
Data as text. Our figures are HTML text and SVG with text labels — not pictures of numbers. They can be read aloud, selected, and machine-read.
Contrast. Body text and data values are set against their backgrounds for legibility rather than fashion.
Keyboard use. Navigation, links and expandable sections work without a mouse.
No horizontal scrolling. Every page is checked at phone, tablet and desktop widths; wide tables scroll inside their own container rather than pushing the page sideways.
No motion for its own sake. We use no autoplaying video, no carousels and no animation that carries meaning.
No pop-ups or interstitials covering the content.

Known limitations

Live boards need JavaScript. The values that update require scripting. The page structure, explanations and links to the official sources are all in the HTML and readable without it.
Charts are visual. Our charts carry text labels and the same data appears in accompanying tables or downloads, but we have not yet written a full text alternative for every chart.
Relayed agency wording. When we pass on an agency's notice verbatim, we cannot control its plain-language quality — but changing their words would be worse.
No independent audit yet. As above.

Tell us when something does not work

If any part of this site is difficult or impossible for you to use, please tell us through the contact page. Include the page, what you were trying to do, and the assistive technology you use if that is relevant. We treat these as bugs, not suggestions, and we will tell you what we did about it.

If you need a figure from this site in another format, ask us and we will send it to you.