Guide Dogs’ outrage as TfL’s Deputy Chairman attempts to discredit Exhibition Road campaign

Leading Conservative councillor Daniel Moylan has accused national charity Guide Dogs of having a ‘fake’ blind person at their recent campaign event to stop a street design turning the Science Museum, The Natural History Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum and others, in to no-go areas for blind and partially sighted people.

In an email to Gordon Taylor, the leader of the West London Residents Association (WLRA), Coun Moylan claims that “at least one of the "blind" people at your demonstration this week (a man carrying a white stick and wearing sun-glasses) was a perfectly sighted local resident well known to the Council” (see full email below).

The email was copied to Cllr Nicholas Paget-Brown – who attended the campaign event which was organised by Guide Dogs and WLRA – and Kulveer Ranger, the Mayor of London’s Director of Transport Policy.

Tom Pey, Guide Dogs Director of External Affairs, responded: “It is disgraceful that this Councillor is trying to discredit our campaign; a campaign aimed at ensuring the streets of London are safe for everyone.

“To think that Guide Dogs – a charity that has 75 years experience helping blind and partially sighted people to get about safely and independently  – would use a ‘fake’ blind person is ludicrous.

“These remarks were obviously made to try and undermine us, our work, and the campaign. However Guide Dogs ‘Say NO to shared streets’ campaign is supported by over 20 other national disability organisations, and the Exhibition Road Access Group recently voted overwhelmingly to recommend that the roads re-development includes a full height kerb.

“Perhaps Cllr Moylan is trying to move the spotlight away from the real issue here – that £42m is going to be spent on creating a dangerous and unusable shared surface street in Exhibition Road.”

The event that sparked this controversy (held on Thursday 14 May) gave the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council employees the chance to try out a mock shared surface street. It was part of Guide Dogs ‘Say NO to shared streets’ campaign which aims to stop these dangerous streets - when the kerb is removed and the road and pavement are built at the same level - being built. These streets actively discriminate against blind and partially sighted people, disabled and elderly people, and young children.

Find out more information about the campaign at www.guidedogs.org.uk/sharedstreets

For further media information on Guide Dogs, or the ‘Say NO to shared streets’ campaign, please contact; Vicky Bell – vicky.bell@guidedogs.org.uk / 0118 983 8379 / 07900 162535 (out of hours).