National Centre for Accessible Transport (ncat)

What National Centre for Accessible Transport (ncat) does

National Centre for Accessible Transport (ncat) is a UK non-profit evidence centre established in February 2023 to improve transport accessibility for disabled and older people. Headquartered in Coventry and led by Coventry University, NCAT operates as a consortium with Connected Places Catapult, Designability, Policy Connect, RiDC, and WSP UK, and is funded by a multi-year grant from the Motability Foundation across a 7-year programme horizon. The organisation is led by CEO Emma Partlow and supports a Community of Accessible Transport (CAT Panel) of grassroots contributors.

NCAT's core product surface consists of two knowledge assets and one policy vehicle. The Transport Barriers Database collects structured evidence of accessibility barriers (1,274+ accessible comments to date), and the Resource Collection aggregates 620+ accessibility resources. The Accessible Transport Policy Commission, chaired by Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, translates this evidence into recommendations for UK government and regulators. NCAT also runs the Scaling Innovation Programme, which has supported 14 cohort projects to date, including XRAI Rugged (AI-assisted speech-to-text translation for deaf and hard-of-hearing users) and Purple Door (accessible airport wayfinding, deployed across airport operators in the UK, Serbia, Chile, and the USA).

NCAT's business model is grant-funded rather than commercial. The Motability Foundation grant underwrites programme delivery, research outputs, and the small core team (~10 employees). There is no disclosed product pricing, subscription model, or earned-income stream; NCAT functions as a policy and research intermediary rather than a vendor. Strategic value is concentrated in policy influence, evidence curation, and ecosystem coordination across the disability, transport, and innovation sectors.

Name

National Centre for Accessible Transport (ncat)

Legal name

National Centre for Accessible Transport

Website

https://ncat.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

National Centre for Accessible Transport (ncat) is a UK non-profit evidence centre, led by Coventry University and funded by the Motability Foundation, that curates accessibility research, runs the Scaling Innovation Programme, and advises UK policymakers on accessible transport.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Transport Accessibility Research and Evidence

NAICS

Special Needs Transportation (485991), Other Support Activities for Transportation (4889)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Special Needs & Senior Transportation Services (TLAFAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Accessible On-Demand & NEMT (Wheelchair/Paratransit Ride Services) (THAIAGAE), Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) (HSABAOAA), Transport Safety & Infrastructure Standards Cooperation (BPADANAK)

Keywords

• Transport accessibility research
• Accessible transport evidence
• Disability transport policy
• Inclusive mobility research
• Transport innovation funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Coventry

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Motability Foundation Funding: ncat is primarily funded by the Motability Foundation, a national charity established in 1977 with all-party parliamentary support. The foundation provides multi-year funding to support the center's operations, research activities, and the Scaling Innovation Funding Programme over a seven-year period.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ncat is the UK's first dedicated evidence centre for accessible transport, producing human-centred research and insights into the barriers disabled people face when travelling. It operates research databases (Transport Barriers Database, Resource Collection), convenes the Accessible Transport Policy Commission with parliamentarians and policymakers, and runs the Scaling Innovation Funding Programme that supports partner innovators to develop accessible transport technologies such as offline captioning, accessible bus stops, tactile maps, and inclusive shared mobility.

Product overview

The National Centre for Accessible Transport (ncat) is a specialist research consortium established in February 2023, led by Coventry University alongside partner organisations (Connected Places Catapult, Designability, Policy Connect, Research Institute for Disabled Consumers, and WSP UK), funded by the Motability Foundation. Rather than a single product, ncat operates as an evidence centre offering multiple research databases and policy initiatives. Core offerings include the Transport Barriers Database (a searchable dashboard of transport challenges facing disabled people) and the Resource Collection (a searchable database of over 620 research resources on transport accessibility). The Accessible Transport Policy Commission brings together policymakers and disabled people's organisations. Through the Scaling Innovation Programme, ncat funds and supports 14 innovative technology projects including XRAI Rugged (offline real-time captioning for transport), REACT Access Trigger (accessible bus stop communication), Purple Door (airport assistance coordination), Canute Tactile Transport Information System (Braille tactile maps), Accessible Exmouth (digital wayfinding with BSL), TESS (street accessibility assessment tool), STEP (street transformation blueprint), EQuAL (accessibility measurement metric), the 3Scooter (inclusive shared mobility), and intelligent wheelchair technologies. Reports are published in multiple accessible formats including EasyRead, plain text, large print, and British Sign Language video versions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Transport Barriers Database An open-source searchable dashboard providing evidence of transport challenges disabled people face across the UK. Users can search by access needs, impairment, transport modes, region, gender, and age, and includes 1,274 searchable comments from participants.
• Resource Collection A searchable database containing over 620 links to resources on transport accessibility, including research papers, reports, and policy documents. Tagged by document type, year, impairment type, transport modes, region, and authoring organisation.
• Accessible Transport Policy Commission A policy commission bringing together parliamentarians, policymakers, transport operators, standards organisations, and Disabled People's Organisations to address transport accessibility challenges across the UK.
• XRAI Rugged An offline captioning and translation system for public transport announcements. Uses AI to convert spoken announcements to real-time captions and translations in 100+ languages without requiring internet connectivity, with response times under one-fifth of a second.
• REACT Access Trigger A mobile application that enables passengers to access real-time bus information, request a specific bus to stop, receive confirmation when their bus arrives, and request stops when approaching destinations. Uses Bus Open Data Service (BODS) data.
• Purple Door A digital platform supporting disabled passengers before, during, and after airport journeys. Helps passengers communicate access requirements, receive updates, and stay connected with assistance providers. Live at Luton, Belgrade, Santiago, and New York JFK airports.
• Canute Tactile Transport Information System A tactile transport information system developed for the Canute Console multi-line digital Braille display. Generates tactile maps showing routes, connections, and transport hub locations, plus embossed paper maps.
• Accessible Exmouth An immersive digital wayfinding platform combining 360-degree virtual tours, BSL content, interactive maps, and transport information to help users familiarise themselves with local routes before travelling.
• TESS (Tool for Equitable Street Spaces) A practical assessment tool enabling street designers to understand how different design features affect disabled people and make more informed accessibility decisions. Developed from CoLSAT with input from over 100 disabled participants.
• STEP (Street Transformation Execution Plan) A practical blueprint providing 12 recommendations for local authorities to identify and address barriers within the street environment. Covers policy, planning, enforcement, behaviour change, and community engagement.
• EQuAL (Equity and Quality in Accessibility Levels) An open-source metric designed to measure accessibility more effectively by assessing barriers across the whole journey experience, considering factors beyond proximity and service frequency.
• Power-Assist Wheelchair Add-on Device A prototype power add-on device for manual wheelchairs using a friction-drive system with electric motor, designed to help users navigate physical barriers while remaining lightweight and affordable.
• 3Scooter Inclusive Shared Mobility

Quantifiable outcome

• 92% of disabled people face barriers on at least one mode of transport (from survey of 1,195 respondents)
• +4 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered primary, core and scaling innovation.

• Coventry UniversityprimaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2023Coventry University serves as the lead organization for ncat and hosts the evidence center at its National Transport Design Centre (ntdc). The university provides research expertise, facilities, and academic leadership for the consortium.
• Connected Places CatapultcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2023Connected Places Catapult is a partner in the ncat consortium, bringing expertise in connected places technology and innovation deployment to support accessible transport solutions.
• DesignabilitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2023Designability is a partner in the ncat consortium, contributing expertise in assistive technology and inclusive design to the center's research and innovation activities.
• Policy ConnectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2023Policy Connect is a partner in the ncat consortium and co-leads the Accessible Transport Policy Commission. The organization facilitates parliamentary engagement and policy development.
• Research Institute for Disabled Consumers (RiDC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2023RiDC is a partner in the ncat consortium, contributing research expertise and consumer insights from disabled people to inform the center's evidence base.
• WSP UKcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2023WSP UK is a partner in the ncat consortium, providing engineering and transport planning expertise to support the center's research and evidence generation.
• Baroness Tanni Grey-ThompsoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBaroness Tanni Grey-Thompson chairs the Accessible Transport Policy Commission, providing parliamentary leadership and advocacy for transport accessibility issues.
• REACT Accessibilityscaling innovationStrategic or Co-development PartnerScaling Innovation Programme partner developing the REACT Access Trigger, a demonstrator for accessible communication at bus stops enabling passengers to request stops and receive real-time bus information.
• Supersmithscaling innovationStrategic or Co-development PartnerScaling Innovation Programme partner developing the 3Scooter, an innovative three-wheeled mobility device designed to address exclusion of disabled people from shared micromobility schemes.
• Oxford Brookes Universityscaling innovationStrategic or Co-development PartnerScaling Innovation Programme partner developing a prototype power add-on device for manual wheelchairs designed to help users navigate physical barriers more easily.
• XRAIscaling innovationStrategic or Co-development PartnerScaling Innovation Programme partner developing XRAI Rugged, an offline captioning and translation system designed to make public transport announcements accessible.
• Ostrum Techscaling innovationStrategic or Co-development PartnerScaling Innovation Programme partner developing Purple Door, a digital platform supporting disabled passengers before, during, and after air travel, currently live at Luton, Belgrade, Santiago, and New York JFK airports.
• Disability Togetherscaling innovationStrategic or Co-development PartnerScaling Innovation Programme partner, a disabled people's charity developing disability awareness training for bus drivers with Driver CPC accreditation to improve interactions between drivers and disabled passengers.
• Bristol Braille Technologyscaling innovationStrategic or Co-development PartnerScaling Innovation Programme partner developing the Canute Tactile Transport Information System for the Canute Console, enabling blind people to access tactile maps of transport networks.
• Brunel University Londonscaling innovationStrategic or Co-development PartnerScaling Innovation Programme partner working with Centaur Robotics to develop an intelligent smart wheelchair with hands-free controls, obstacle detection, and smart navigation capabilities.
• Transport for Allscaling innovationStrategic or Co-development PartnerScaling Innovation Programme partner, a disabled-led organization that partnered with Ross Atkin Associates to develop TESS (Tool for Equitable Street Spaces) for street designers.
• Disability Policy Centrescaling innovationStrategic or Co-development PartnerScaling Innovation Programme partner developing STEP (Street Transformation Execution Plan), a practical blueprint to help local authorities identify and address barriers in the street environment.
• Virtual Tour Expertsscaling innovationStrategic or Co-development PartnerScaling Innovation Programme partner developing Accessible Exmouth, an immersive digital wayfinding platform designed with and for d/Deaf people and Hard of Hearing people.
• Podarisscaling innovationStrategic or Co-development PartnerScaling Innovation Programme partner developing EQuAL (Equity and Quality in Accessibility Levels), an open-source metric designed to better reflect disabled people's experiences of travelling by public transport.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Age UK: UK national charity for older people that includes accessible transport issues in its policy and service portfolio. Comparable in addressing mobility needs of a specific accessibility-needs population and engaging national policy on transport.
• Disability Rights UK: National UK disability rights organization that engages in policy, research, and campaigns on issues including transport access. Comparable in policy-influence model and constituency, though with broader scope beyond transport.
• Policy Connect: UK cross-party parliamentary think tank that co-leads ncat's Accessible Transport Policy Commission. Comparable in operating model (convening parliamentarians, producing policy recommendations) and is an ncat consortium partner.
• Designability: UK charity designing assistive technology for disabled people, including mobility and accessibility products. Closely comparable in mission and is itself an ncat consortium partner supporting the Scaling Innovation Programme.
• Centre for Accessible Environments: UK charity providing consultancy, training, and resources on inclusive design of the built environment, including transport infrastructure. Closely comparable evidence-and-advisory function with overlapping constituency of disabled people, designers, and local authorities.
• Transport for All: UK-based, disabled-led charity that campaigns for accessible transport and represents disabled people's transport interests. Directly comparable to ncat in mission, beneficiary population, and UK operating scope, though more advocacy-oriented and less research-driven.
• Research Institute for Disabled Consumers (RiDC): UK research charity producing consumer research with disabled people and older consumers. Directly comparable research methodology and constituency; notably also an ncat consortium partner.

Broad incumbents

• Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC): Statutory UK government advisory committee providing independent advice to the Department for Transport on accessibility. Closely comparable advisory role to government and policy influence, though operating as a government body rather than an independent evidence center.
• Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC): UK national equality body enforcing the Equality Act 2010, including transport accessibility obligations. Comparable in setting and enforcing accessibility standards across UK transport, though with regulatory rather than research-provider role.

Emerging players

• Sustrans: UK charity making walking, wheeling, and cycling easier, with growing engagement on inclusive and accessible active travel. Comparable on UK transport-access advocacy and infrastructure focus, though primary focus is active travel rather than disability-specific.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ncat-uk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about National Centre for Accessible Transport (ncat)