27 May Elizabeth Line: Accessible travel for people with hearing loss

The Elizabeth Line has opened in London, an east to west route across the city connecting the Great Eastern Main Line and the Great Western.

The project has been more than 10 years in the making and Contacta has been involved from the beginning.  Our window intercom systems and hearing loops were specified as part of the ticket office design for the project.  This followed a major piece of work with Transport for London to upgrade window intercoms at ticket offices across four Undergound lines.

Excellent performance and staff security were the two main considerations on the Elizabeth Line for Cross Rail.  Working with our installation partners, Ideas Ltd and SIS Security, we decided on a mix of our STS-K058 and STS-K043 models for the secure ticket counters.  These were the most suitable because of their vandal-proof screen mounted customer microphone and the speaker design suited the counter layout.

But the customer microphone required a bespoke design.  The client wanted to keep a clear view of the customer tray so staff could see what was put in it.  Items are occasionally passed to them that are unsafe for them to handle.

We designed a microphone with a 90 degree angle so the stem could be offset to one side while keeping the head central for the best possible performance.  Thanks to the client’s requirements, this design has now become a key feature of the STS-K058.

Hearing loops have been fitted alongside all of our window intercom systems, meaning passengers with a hearing aid can switch to the T position and receive sound directly from the microphone.

“We are delighted to have been part of such a landmark project,” said Contacta’s Technical Sales Manager, Dean Corrigan.  “Window intercom systems are essential for clear communication at ticket windows, not just because the screens limit the transfer of conversation between staff and customers, but also because of the surrounding background noise.

“Our products, and the work of our partners, should make for a great start to journeys on the Elizabeth Line.”