Call for Continuation of Life Changing Fair Rail Pilot

Launched on 1 April 2025, the pilot scheme enables holders of an Eye +1 National Entitlement Card (NEC) to travel free of charge with a companion on all ScotRail services, as well as other train operators serving stations across Scotland. The year-long initiative, which is now halfway through, is designed to make rail travel more affordable and accessible for people with visual impairment.

RAF veteran George Heenan, former army nurse Agnes Houston and army veteran Peter Ramsay, who all attend Sight Scotland Veterans’ Hawkhead Centre in Paisley, say the pilot scheme has made journeys more affordable, reduced isolation, improved confidence and encouraged them to get out more. They also emphasise that having a companion is not just about company but about safety - helping them board trains, navigate busy stations and feel more at ease whilst travelling.

Agnes Houston, 76, a former army nurse from Coatbridge, who lives with both dementia and visual impairment, and who is a passionate dementia campaigner, says:

“I was introduced to Sight Scotland Veterans through my campaigning, and it was the best thing that ever happened to me. My visual impairment left me feeling disempowered. I could no longer travel, I lost my independence, and I became lonely. But Sight Scotland Veterans changed everything. They showed me what was possible, gave me confidence, supported me with white cane training, and welcomed me into the Hawkhead Centre where I found friendship and a real sense of community.

“However, travelling was still a struggle. I had to pay for someone to accompany me, and the cost was just too much. It put me off completely. I stopped attending dementia meetings, stopped campaigning, and became isolated again. I was only able to go to Hawkhead, which I loved, but I could not do much else.

“Since the pilot launched, I feel like I have started living again. I have travelled to Edinburgh for dementia meetings with my daughter, I have visited Inverness with my support worker. I live alone, so being able to get out and about safely, without worrying about the cost, has been life changing."

Peter Ramsay, aged 56 from Irvine, who served in the Army before losing his sight as a young man due to Retinitis Pigmentosa, adds:

“This free companion rail travel pilot makes travelling so much safer and takes away the stress and strain of using the train. I go to the football with my companion. We take the train and the subway, and I would not feel safe doing that on my own. Train stations and the underground can be very dark, especially in winter, and it is hard to judge where the edge of the platform is. It is dangerous and scary. This pilot scheme gives me real freedom. It is a huge help with getting on and off trains and going through barriers. It just removes the anxiety.”

Nicoletta Primo, Lived Experience Policy and Engagement Manager for Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans, comments:

“These powerful stories from the veterans we support show just how important this pilot is. That is why we are continuing to campaign for it to become permanent ahead of the Scottish Parliament elections in May 2026. It is already making a real difference, helping people with visual impairment travel more freely and independently. The Scottish Government must listen to the lived experience of those who are benefiting from it. Now that the pilot is halfway through, it is time to make this vital support a permanent part of Scotland’s transport system.”