Accessibility Statement

Last updated: 6 August 2026

This statement covers the PlatformWatch website at platformwatch.co.uk and the PlatformWatch mobile app for iOS and Android. Both are run by Platform Watch Limited.

We want as many people as possible to be able to use PlatformWatch, including people who use a screen reader, navigate by keyboard, need larger text, or rely on higher contrast. This statement sets out how we are doing against that, honestly — including the parts we know are not good enough yet.

How accessible this service is

We aim to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at level AA. We believe the service is partially conformant: most of it meets that standard, but some parts do not. We have not yet commissioned an independent audit, so this assessment is our own.

What we have checked

• Text colours meet the AA contrast minimum of 4.5:1. Body text measures 17.9:1, secondary text 4.8:1, and links and primary buttons 5.2:1.
• Every image on the website carries alternative text, and decorative images are marked so screen readers skip them.
• Pages declare their language, so screen readers use the right pronunciation.
• The site works without JavaScript for reading content, and reflows down to a 320px-wide screen without horizontal scrolling.
• A dark theme is available throughout the app and follows your device setting.
• Interactive controls in the app carry labels and roles for VoiceOver and TalkBack, and touch targets are sized for easier tapping.

Known problems

We would rather tell you about these than let you discover them.

• No skip link on the website. Keyboard and screen-reader users currently have to move through the navigation on every page before reaching the content.
• Green "all clear" labels. White text on our confirm-green measures 3.3:1, which meets AA for large text but not for normal-sized text.
• The live map is visual. Station pins convey information by position and colour, which a screen reader cannot usefully describe. The activity feed carries the same reports as text and is the accessible route to that information.
• Report photos have no alternative text. They are submitted by other passengers, and we do not require a description. A photo's meaning is summarised by the report's station, type and note, which are all text.
• Screen-reader labelling in the app is incomplete. Core flows are labelled, but coverage is not yet consistent across every screen.
• Colour carries meaning in places. Red for active reports and green for all-clear are always accompanied by text or an icon, but the colour is the fastest signal.

What we are doing about it

We are a very small team — PlatformWatch is built by one person — so we fix these in order of how much difficulty they cause. Adding a skip link and raising the contrast of green labels are next. Screen-reader labelling is improved as each screen is worked on.

We are not claiming a completion date we cannot stand behind. If something here matters to you, telling us will move it up the list.

Tell us about a problem

If you hit a barrier using PlatformWatch, or you need something in a different format, email jett@platformwatch.co.uk. Please say what you were trying to do, what got in the way, and what you use to browse — for example VoiceOver on iPhone, or keyboard only.

We read every message and aim to reply within five working days.

Enforcement

The Equality and Human Rights Commission enforces the Equality Act 2010. If you are unhappy with how we respond to your complaint, you can contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service at equalityadvisoryservice.com.

PlatformWatch is a private service, so the public sector accessibility regulations do not apply to it. We publish this statement because we think people deserve to know what works before they rely on it.

This statement was prepared on 6 August 2026 based on our own testing of the live website and app. It is not legal advice.