Harper, 39, lives in London and works fully remotely. This means that she doesn’t use public transport on a daily basis, though she does rely on it to attend a weekly course, and for grocery shopping. She tends to walk or cycle where she can. As long as the weather is good and the journey is under an hour by foot or bike, Harper prefers to avoid public transport as other passengers can be loud:
 

"The main barrier for me is the sensory overload, especially the noise. On most of the buses I take there’s someone on the phone speaking very loudly or who even has the speaker on. Sometimes they’re watching something or listening to music aloud. Many times, it’s even several people and the noise just gets very overwhelming."

The noise and disruption from other passengers can be made worse by overcrowded services and waiting areas. Having others very close makes Harper feel uncomfortable and overwhelmed:
 

"Public transport can be very crowded, with people standing or sitting very close next to me. I get especially anxious when someone suddenly touches me, no matter if it’s accidentally, trying to get their phone out of their pocket, or squeezing past me to get to the doors.

 

Sometimes people stand so close that I can feel their breath on my neck or body, which has led to me leaving the tube and waiting for another, less crowded service as the sensation of this just got too overwhelming."

Harper describes a recent incident on her regular bus which was particularly full, leading her to feel trapped and overwhelmed:
 

"I couldn’t get a seat which generally isn’t important to me as long as I find a little corner for myself. I ended up standing next to the back door, with my earphones in to listen to some music, but even at high volume my music can’t block the noises out. There are a lot of different smells (perfume, sweat, food smells probably from takeaway) and I start to feel a bit nauseous. 

 

Then, the bus enters the tunnel and the bright light switches on. I was pressed against the door of the bus, as far from other people as possible, but occasionally people touched against my arms and shoulders. I just looked straight down as the light was too bright. My body was all tense and I just froze. I had to actively control my breathing as it felt like someone was holding me from behind. I was about to cry, actively holding back tears and closing my eyes. I realized later that I’d been biting the insides of my cheek.

 

All I could think about was being trapped like this until the bus left the tunnel. It felt like an eternity until the lights were switched off and we were out of the tunnel. I got off at the next stop and stood there for a little while, crying. I walked the rest of the way instead of waiting for another bus."

Harper’s experience had a strong and painful effect, and she did not even reach her destination. Many of the autistic people we surveyed described similar experiences of needing to abandon their journey and, like Harper, having to change or cease their plans for the rest of the day. The sense of dread stayed with her throughout the day.

Some of the things which make travel more accessible for Harper include spacious surroundings and clear information, which should be incorporated into service design. Harper explains how these elements make all the difference, describing a route which she finds more comfortable:
 

"I take the Elizabeth line from time to time and find the travel experience quite pleasant. The platforms are bigger than on the other tube lines, so there is generally less crowding. The trains are fairly big as well. Whenever I’ve used the line I’ve had enough space on the platform and I’ve never experienced any crowding on the train itself.

 

I also like that they have aircon, which makes the travel much more pleasant as it’s not boiling hot, and it also seems to help with overwhelming smells. I still wear my earphones to help with noise overload and the light is sometimes too bright, but having less sensory stimuli to deal with certainly helps.

 

I also find the displays in the trains very clear and helpful – e.g. the screens showing the next station. On other lines, the screens are not always working and it can get a bit confusing without them."

Harper has many ideas for what could increase the accessibility of public transport for her and other autistic people, including: 

• Increasing general awareness of autistic people’s needs and challenges on public transport – helping everyone to be more considerate of others and their own behavior 
• Clearer signage on the London Underground to help navigate between lines
• Clearer information on delays such as when the next train will depart or what alternatives there are if it is cancelled
• Being able to talk to someone in person to ask questions and get help re-planning the journey if there are changes 
• Ensuring that staff take autistic people seriously and remain calm and polite even when they are overwhelmed, ask many questions or don’t understand instructions immediately
• Working to reduce overcrowding on buses by using bigger vehicles or having more frequent buses