In Touch - 16/11/2010

Transport Minister Norman Baker, CABE Director of Public Space Sarah Gaventa and long-cane user Dick Groves, join Peter White to discuss how decisions are made to introduce tactile paving and 'shared areas'. Several listeners' comments were read to the panel, all claiming that tactile paving is of little use to them. Sarah Gaventa said that some local authorities tend to adopt a pick and mix approach to Dept of Transport Guidelines, which meant that blind and visually impaired people had no standard markings or crossings to enable them to navigate the streets safely, which is their basic right so to do. Dick Groves made the point that often there are bumps or markings on pavements, the meaning of which he cannot determine as they vary from town to town. The Minister said he took on board the need for standardisation and the government was in the process of reducing the numerous types of tactile markings, to simplify the system.