Oxford Parkway railway station has launched a permanent public exhibition created by disabled and neurodiverse artists, offering passengers a new perspective on accessibility and inclusion in public transport.
The free exhibition, titled All Aboard: Journeys across access, freedom and belonging, was developed through a collaboration between Oxfordshire Community Rail Partnership and Shadowlight Artists, with funding provided through CrossCountry’s community engagement fund.
Installed within the station environment, the exhibition presents artwork shaped by the artists’ own experiences of travelling by public transport. The collection explores both the independence public transport can offer and the barriers disabled and neurodiverse passengers still face, including physical obstacles and attitudes that can affect everyday travel.
The work was produced during a series of creative workshops and includes multiple artistic styles and media, with organisers aiming to bring voices often missing from transport planning directly into a public setting.
The exhibition forms part of wider accessibility work being led by Oxfordshire Community Rail Partnership, which is seeking to ensure disabled people’s experiences are reflected in local rail development.
It also supports a broader effort to make railway stations more than transport hubs by creating welcoming public spaces that people can engage with beyond travel.
Bee Clark, access and inclusion programme lead at Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire Community Rail Partnership, said:
“This exhibition gives disabled and neurodiverse people a platform to share their experiences of public transport in their own way, through art. Too often, conversations about accessibility happen without the voices of the people most affected. All Aboard changes that, and we’re proud to be placing those voices directly within the rail environment.”
Bethan Jelfs, regional director at CrossCountry, added:
“We were delighted to have the opportunity to support the Shadowlight Artists’ creativity. Providing a place for them to express their talent and experiences allows us to view how they see transport in all its forms.”
The exhibition launched on 13 March and will remain on display indefinitely, free for passengers and visitors to view.
