HEARING loops are being installed on Keighley buses.

Transdev, the parent firm of Keighley Bus Company, is introducing the technology on more than 60 of its existing vehicles.

And all new buses due for delivery this year will have the loops fitted as standard.

The announcement was made to coincide with World Hearing Day, being held this weekend.

Hearing loops, also known as induction loops, help people who wear hearing aids to communicate more easily.

Vitto Pizzuti, Transdev’s operations director, says: "Devices such as hearing aids work by amplifying all sounds – but in environments with background noise, such as when boarding our buses, this can make it difficult for those living with hearing loss to distinguish the words that our drivers say.

"Hearing loops enable users to pick up sound sources directly by cutting out background noise. The devices have proven benefits for people with a hearing disability, which is why they’re already part of the specification for all our new buses this year.

"On top of this, we’re committing to retrofit induction loop technology to an extra 61 of our buses in 2024, based at depots including Keighley. This will mean approximately 25 per cent of our entire fleet will be fitted with hearing loops by the end of the year – but we’re not stopping there. We’re also planning a second wave of hearing loop installations next year to bring the systems to more of our vehicles, as part of our ongoing commitment to improving the accessibility of our buses for all customers."

A wide range of events and activities is taking place across the UK and globally on Sunday (March 3) as part of World Hearing Day.

The initiative is being spearheaded by the World Health Organisation, whose director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: "Hearing loss has often been referred to as an ‘invisible disability’, not just because of the lack of visible symptoms, but because it has long been stigmatised in communities and ignored by policy makers.

"Our hearing is a precious gift, yet hearing problems are among the most common in the world, affecting people of all ages."

Transdev buses fitted with hearing loops will display a global standard blue and white ‘listening ear’ symbol, recognisable by hearing aid users worldwide. A user just needs to switch their hearing aid to the ‘T’ position when boarding the bus to connect to the vehicle’s induction loop system.