Accessibility app Snowball uses TfL data to make it easier for disabled people to plan journeys in the capital
- Known as the ‘Tripadvisor for the disabled community’, the free mobile app now includes step-free stations, alongside venues and attractions
- Snowball has introduced a traffic light system allowing users to identify step-free stations
- This new feature complements TfL’s accessible Tube map on the TfL Go app which provides real-time information on step-free access and leverages TfL’s open data policy to enhance accessibility for all
Snowball, the pioneering app described as ‘TripAdvisor for the disabled community’, is using Transport for London (TfL) data to integrate all the accessible stations on the London transport network into its mobile app, making it easier for disabled people to plan outings in the capital.
The free Snowball mobile app, which operates worldwide helps users find and review restaurants, shops, and other businesses and services based on how accessible they are for disabled people. Features include user reviews, search functionality, and the option to share your review on Facebook – all designed with accessibility in mind. Through TfL’s open data policy, a step-free station map now shows in all London search results in Snowball, allowing users to plan a trip from start to finish in just one app.
All TfL stations feature on the map, with information on the growing number of step-free stations in London regularly updated. There are currently 93 London Underground stations with step-free access, including Knightsbridge which recently gained a brand-new step-free entrance with two lifts. More than 60 London Overground stations, all Elizabeth line and DLR stations, and all tram stops have step-free access, and TfL’s bus network is one of the most accessible in the world.
London residents with certain disabilities are eligible for free travel at any time on TfL’s services including on buses, DLR, Elizabeth line, London Overground, trams, Tube and river services with London Council’s Disabled Person’s Freedom Pass.
To further improve ease of travel, Snowball has introduced a traffic light accessibility system to the app. This feature allows users to instantly identify whether a station has step-free access:
- Green: Fully accessible, no assistance needed
- Amber: Partially accessible, requiring additional staff assistance or portable ramps
- Red: Not accessible for wheelchair users
These ratings were personally created by Simon Sansome, the app’s founder and a wheelchair user himself, who, alongside his team, visited and tested accessibility at every London station to ensure the system reflects real-world experiences.
In the UK, approximately 16 million people are disabled, accounting for 24 percent of the population. In London alone, 13.2 percent of residents are disabled, underscoring the need for accessible public transportation options. The new Snowball offering complements the existing step-free Tube map on the free TfL Go app, which has detailed information about accessibility features at each station and a real-time step-free journey planning tool, while TfL’s accessible bus service provides another reliable way to travel, especially in outer London.
Simon Sansome, founder of Snowball, said: “Our goal is to make London more navigable for everyone, regardless of their physical abilities. By highlighting step-free stations and introducing our traffic light system, we aim to remove barriers and promote inclusivity across the city’s transportation network.”
Emma Strain, TfL’s Customer Director, said: “London is a vast city and it’s so important that disabled people feel confident planning journeys here. Our TfL Go app has long been an essential resource for people with accessibility needs travelling on our network, and now that our step-free data has been integrated into the Snowball app, their users can consider the accessibility of their destination and plan their journey in just one app.
“This runs alongside our services such as Turn Up and Go, improvements to toilet provision and work to make more stations step-free, with the recent addition of a step-free entrance at Knightsbridge. Our customer inclusion plan Equity in Motion, now includes more than 100 actions to make London’s transport more accessible, inclusive, and fair.”
Paralympic athlete Hannah Cockroft, said: “Using public transport as a wheelchair user in London has always been a complicated and usually avoided situation. Planning journeys between accessible Tube stations takes meticulous planning, and knowing what stations are manned for assistance was a game of luck. Now, having all the information you might need to make a journey in one place will take so much anxiety and research out of travelling in and around London. By adding such a simple but much-needed tool to the app, Snowball and TfL are giving disabled users the confidence they need to get about easily.”
Snowball is available for download on both Apple and Android devices.
