Metro Bilbao, in collaboration with the Bizkaia Transport Consortium, has updated the design of its map of connections between different modes of public transport, making it accessible to everyone, with the aim of advancing towards continuous improvement and universal accessibility. To this end, it has collaborated with Puntodis and the ErrazTEA cognitive accessibility team from APNABI Autismo Bizkaia.
This is the first and only entity in the Basque Country that has professionals with intellectual disabilities and/or autism with certified training in the accessibility work team, both for adaptation and validation. It is a group of experts in cognitive accessibility, which is the characteristic of environments, processes, activities, goods, products, services, objects or instruments, tools, and devices that allow for easy understanding and communication. This is an essential aspect of guaranteeing the rights of people with intellectual disabilities, but also those with other types of comprehension, language, or cognitive difficulties.
This process of study and improvement began at the subway station, analyzing the use of the map. After updating the font type and size to improve readability, and developing new pictograms or symbols for stops and transfers to facilitate understanding of how to use the subway and encourage independent travel, various tests were conducted on size, orientation, and color, taking into account how lines and modes of transport are currently identified. In addition, we also studied how people with visual impairments perceive them, having studied different color and texture combinations, taking into account deviations in color vision, such as color blindness.
The new maps feature a legend that shows the meaning of the pictograms on the map on the one hand, and symbols that include important information about the station on the other. These include symbols that highlight physical accessibility at all stations, or the possibility of communicating with Metro Bilbao via intercoms in sign language or spoken language.
In addition, the map features Map's Voice technology, an inclusive digital platform that, through a common printed QR code, provides additional information to be read or listened to, also in different languages, including easy reading in Basque and Spanish.
