Contracts for Innovation: Accessible Information on Coaches

Key Features

Organisations can apply for a share of up to £680,000, inclusive of VAT. This is to develop an affordable, user friendly hardware and software solution, which provides accessible audio visual information on coaches.

Programme:     Innovate UK

Award:     Share of up to £680,000

Opens: 16th Dec 2024

Closes: 12th Feb 2025

Overview

This is a Contracts for Innovation competition funded by the Department for Transport (DfT).

Scope

The Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information) Regulations 2023 (AIR), require operators of local services to provide Audible and Visible (AV) route destination and location information helping all passengers, in particular disabled people, to travel confidently.

The Regulations came into force on 1 October 2024 on a phased basis, based on when a vehicle was first used on a local service. This means that AIR will first apply to newer vehicles, those first used from 2019, and then in subsequent years to older vehicles.

The regulations apply to buses and coaches when they are providing ‘local services’, as defined in the Transport Act 1985. This includes many rail replacement services commissioned by Train Operating Companies (TOCs).

To increase the supply of AIR compliant coaches, the Department for Transport (DfT) will fund the development of innovative technical solutions.

The aim of the competition is to develop an affordable, user friendly hardware and software solution, which provides accessible audio visual information on coaches, particularly rail replacement coaches.

This document will provide further information on Providing accessible information onboard local bus and coach services.

Your proposed solution must meet the following requirements:

  • support operators to comply with AIR by either adapting or integrating with existing hardware and software solutions, or by providing new hardware and software solutions
  • be straightforward to install and use, being quick to mount or dismount within a vehicle, to support the transfer of systems between vehicles
  • be interoperable, scalable and affordable
  • ensure compatibility and integration with other vehicle systems, both hardware and software, regardless of existing suppliers
  • not lock operators into excessive licensing, maintenance or software fees, representing value for money across the complete solution lifespan
  • work with the National Public Transport Access Nodes (NaPTAN) dataset, where possible, and avoid creating a parallel system or duplicative dataset if existing data is available
  • have a solution which is at Technology Readiness Level 5 at time of application
  • have a clear scale up, manufacturing, and commercialisation plan to be ready for the market as soon as possible, at the latest 31 March 2026

Alongside the core AIR requirements, your proposed solution can:

  • incorporate Auracast Bluetooth technology in addition to hearing loop technology
  • incorporate speech to text technology, to provide a visible relay of drivers’ manual announcements
  • allow central management of technology installed across vehicle fleets, and the sharing of route and announcement files between different parties
  • incorporate the ability to collate data on usage of the solution across vehicle fleets
  • include consideration of future technologies and developments

Your project must involve and work with a coach or bus company and disability stakeholders, throughout the project to trial and demonstrate the solution. The demonstration and scale up plan of the solution must be a deliverable within the project.

The DfT will work with Innovate UK, to organise a supplier showcase day in 2026. If you are successful, you will demonstrate your solution to the wider industry. You must attend this event if your application is successful in receiving funding from this competition. Further details will be shared nearer the time.

The following stakeholders have an interest in the outcomes of this competition and must be kept informed of progress where appropriate:

You must demonstrate a credible and practical route to market, so your application must include a plan to commercialise your results.

Contracts will be given to successful applicants.

Innovate UK want to fund a variety of projects across different themes and technologies. Innovate UK call this a portfolio approach.

Eligibility

Projects must:

  • start on 1 May 2025
  • end by 31 March 2026
  • last between 9 to 11 months
  • have costs of between £50,000 and £170,000, inclusive of VAT

Projects must always start on the first of the month. You must not start your project until your Contract has been approved by Innovate UK.

Applicant

To lead a project you can:

  • be an organisation of any size
  • work alone or with the subcontracted skills and expertise of others from business, research organisations, research and technology organisations or the third sector (charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups)

Contracts will be awarded to a single legal entity only. The majority of the project work and key deliverables must be completed by the applicant and be carried out in the UK. Subcontractors can be used, but only for specialist skills.

Sanctions

This competition will not fund you, or provide any financial benefit to any individual or entities directly or indirectly involved with you, which would expose Innovate UK or any direct or indirect beneficiary of funding from Innovate UK to UK Sanctions. For example, through any procurement, commercial, business development or supply chain activity with any entity as lead, partner or subcontractor related to these countries, administrations and terrorist groups.

Use of animals in research and innovation

Innovate UK expects and supports the provision and safeguarding of welfare standards for animals used in research and innovation, according to best practice and up to date guidance.

Any projects selected for funding which involve animals will be asked to provide additional information on welfare and ethical considerations, as well as compliance with any relevant legislation as part of the project start-up process. This information will be reviewed before an award is made.

Previous Applications

You can use a previously submitted application to apply for this competition.

If you have previously submitted an application that reached our assessment stage, you can re-apply once more with the same proposal.

If there are minor differences to the proposal, but it is judged by us to be ‘not materially different’, the same rule applies.

Exclusions

Innovate UK will not fund projects that:

  • are not compliant with AIR
  • rely on passengers possessing their own smartphone technology
  • are unable to demonstrate a clear scale up and manufacturing plan
  • lock operators into excessive licencing fees
  • are not compatible with other vehicle systems, both hardware and software, regardless of existing suppliers

Funding Costs

A total of up to £680,000, inclusive of VAT, is allocated to this competition.

Contracts will be between £50,000 and £170,000, inclusive of VAT, for each project for up to 11 months. We expect to fund up to four projects.

The total funding available for the competition can change. The funders have the right to:

  • adjust the provisional funding allocations
  • apply a ‘portfolio’ approach

The contract is completed at the end of the project, and the successful organisation is expected to pursue commercialisation of their solution.

Value Added Tax (VAT)

You must select whether you are VAT registered before entering your eligible project costs.

VAT is the responsibility of the invoicing business. Innovate UK will not provide any further advice and suggest you seek independent advice from HMRC.

VAT registered

If you select you are VAT registered, you must enter your eligible project costs exclusive of VAT. As part of the application process VAT will be automatically calculated and added to your project cost total. Your total eligible project costs inclusive of VAT must not exceed £170,000.

Not VAT registered

If you select you are not VAT registered, you must enter your eligible project costs exclusive of VAT and no VAT will be added. You will not be able to increase total project costs to cover VAT later should you become VAT registered. Your total project costs must not exceed £170,000.

Research and development (R&D)

Your application must have at least 50% of the contract value attributed directly and exclusively to R&D services, including solution exploration and design. R&D can also include prototyping and field-testing the product or service. This lets you incorporate the results of your exploration and design and demonstrate that you can produce in quantity to acceptable quality standards.

R&D does not include:

  • commercial development activities such as quantity production
  • supply to establish commercial viability or to recover R&D costs
  • integration, customisation or incremental adaptations and improvements to existing products or processes

Interested in applying for this competition?

Book an appointment to speak to one of our advisors to discuss your eligibility to apply for this Grant Funding opportunity.