Virgin Trains has become the first travel company outside of Northern Ireland to introduce a ground-breaking initiative for people with communication barriers.

Standing for “Just a Minute”, anyone with a JAM card can present it to Virgin Trains staff to let them know they have a communication barrier which could be a result of number of factors including autism or a learning difficulty.

The JAM card scheme has been introduced across Virgin Trains routes from March and follows Virgin Trains’ recent industry-first initiative with Amazon which allows customers with disabilities to book JourneyCare through Alexa. In the style of a credit card, it will help customers discreetly make staff aware of their condition.

Frontline teams at Virgin Trains have been trained to recognise the distinctive card and that customers presenting it may have difficulty with communication and require additional time. During training staff have gained valuable knowledge about different types of disabilities and have learned how to engage with a customer with a communication barrier.

Customers apply for a JAM card by filling in a form on their website or by downloading the app and the card is available in either a physical copy or digital format.