Guide Dogs launches Design Principles for Inclusive Streets

At the first national ‘sharing the streets’ conference being held in Liverpool, Guide Dogs is launching design principles for architects and local authority planners to address the needs of blind and partially sighted pedestrians.

The principles are supported by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, and are published by Guide Dogs on behalf of organisations representing people with visual impairments and the Access Association.  They emphasise that good street design is not only about the provision of physical features or comprehensive information.  It also requires an understanding of:

• How the design and management of a street will influence the attitudes, expectations and behaviour of the people who use it; and

• The extent to which design encourages independent use of space.

Blind and partially sighted people can’t see the street ahead; therefore Guide Dogs’ design principles are essential in ensuring safety and confidence when navigating streets and pavements.

In good design, to help to create a space that is accessible to everyone using it, careful attention should be given to the minimum widths of footways, the absence of obstructions and the number and position of crossing points with dropped kerbs and tactile paving.

Pedestrians should also benefit from knowing that the footway is an area where they should be relatively free from conflict with motorists and cyclists.  This principle is particularly important to blind and partially sighted people and Guide Dogs continues to campaign against shared surface streets.  These shared surfaces are where the kerb is removed to create a single surface without delineators between pavement and road – a surface shared by vehicles and pedestrians.

These issues are reflected in the design principles which include planning traffic speeds in built-up areas, providing pedestrian crossings, and ensuring tactile and visual contrast and good lighting.

Tom Pey, Guide Dogs’ Director of External Affairs says:  “Design principles to assist blind and partially sighted people are essential.  For many people with sight loss, just stepping out of their front door is an achievement.  Confidence and independence can be enhanced through well designed streetscapes.  But, if planners get it wrong, it can have a devastating impact on the freedom and mobility of people with sight loss.”

The ‘Inclusive Streets: Design principles for blind and partially sighted people’ booklet is available by phoning 0845 241 2178, emailing campaigns@guidedogs.org.uk or downloading a copy from www.guidedogs.org.uk/inclusivestreets