A veteran who became visually impaired after a stroke has asked that The Scottish Government makes its pilot free companion rail travel scheme permanent. He said that the scheme which allows people with a NEC eye+1 card to take someone with them for free makes rail travel much more affordable, reduces isolation and gives him more confidence.
Jim Cantley, 76, who became visually impaired due to a stroke, was a lance corporal in the Army. He stressed that the companion scheme makes travel much safer as well as just the reassurance of having someone travel with him. He said: “This pilot scheme is absolutely fantastic. I have used it so much since it launched. I have travelled to Carlisle, Glasgow, Dundee, Berwick and other places. It has made travelling not only safer and more affordable, but it has also given me real peace of mind.
“You do not feel like a burden because your companion does not have to pay. It takes the pressure off and allows you to plan trips just like everyone else. It makes rail travel inclusive for people with visual impairments. Because we cannot see, we need extra help, getting through barriers, on and off trains, staying away from the edge of the platform. We can get out and about safely and with confidence. It absolutely must continue.
“I can honestly say Sight Scotland Veterans has changed my life, and I absolutely love coming to the Linburn Centre each week. I have been visually impaired since 2024, and at first, I was lost. I did not know what I could do. I thought I would be stuck at home all the time. But that could not be further from the truth. Sight Scotland Veterans has shown me what is possible. Coming to the Linburn Centre has given me so much confidence. All the activities we do show you what you are capable of, and the friendships you make are just brilliant. The staff are wonderful.
“Life does not stop when you become visually impaired, and that is what the Linburn Centre has taught me. The free companion rail pilot builds on that. Now I want to go out, take trips, visit places, and I know I can do it safely and affordably. It is just a brilliant initiative.”
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.
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.”
Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans are urging The Scottish Government to make the free companion rail travel pilot for visually impaired people with an Eye +1 National Entitlement Card on ScotRail services a permanent policy.
Please show your support and sign our petition:https://sightscotland.eaction.org.uk/FairRail
