Imagine standing at a bus stop, watching your bus approach, but not being able to tell whether it's yours.

For most people, catching a bus is part of everyday life. For me, as someone who is visually impaired, it's a challenge I face when travelling, and it's something I want to change. I was born with a rare eye condition called Peters anomaly and underwent eye surgery when I was just eight weeks old. I've lived with significant visual impairment my entire life.  Growing up, I struggled with my self-esteem and often felt different from my peers. I remember watching my friends turn 17 and 18, learning to drive and getting their first cars. For them, it was an exciting milestone and a new sense of freedom. For me, it was something I knew I would never experience because of my visual impairment. As someone who will never be able to drive, public transport isn't simply a convenience. It's my independence and my connection to employment, education, friendships and everyday life.

I struggle to identify the numbers displayed on approaching buses because I cannot see them clearly from a distance. This can make waiting at a bus stop stressful, as I have to try to work out whether the approaching bus is mine. Sometimes, I risk missing my bus or have to rely on someone else to tell me which one it is. It's something many people probably wouldn't think twice about, but for someone with a visual impairment, it can create a significant barrier to travelling.

 I often think about the additional challenges faced by people with more severe sight loss or no functional vision at all. That's what motivated me to start this petition. I want audio announcements introduced at bus stops across Scotland so that blind and visually impaired passengers can hear which bus is approaching, without having to depend on strangers to identify it for them. I believe accessibility shouldn't be an afterthought, and disabled people shouldn't have to constantly adapt to barriers that could be reduced through inclusive design. Everyone deserves the opportunity to travel with confidence, dignity and independence.

I'm asking for equal access to something as basic as public transport.

I recognise that introducing audio announcements across Scotland would require planning, investment and collaboration. That's why I would like the Scottish Government to work with local authorities, transport providers and sight loss organisations to explore the feasibility of a pilot scheme at selected busy bus stops. This would provide an opportunity to assess how the technology could work in practice and how it could benefit blind and visually impaired passengers, with a view to expanding the scheme across Scotland.

I've already started contacting MSPs, local councillors, disability organisations, transport providers and newspapers to raise awareness of this issue. I've also submitted a petition proposal to the Scottish Parliament and am working to build support for this change.

I hope that by sharing my own experiences, I can help people understand that accessibility isn't just about making public spaces physically accessible. It's also about making sure disabled people can use essential services independently, without unnecessary stress or having to rely on other people for help. No one should have to worry about whether they can identify their bus before it drives past them. Something as simple as an audio announcement could make a real difference to someone's confidence, independence and ability to get where they need to go.

I want to help make Scotland a place where blind and visually impaired people can access public transport with greater confidence and independence.