Response to decision to reverse shared space scheme on Exhibition Road
Sarah Lambert, Head of Social Change at RNIB, said:
“The decision to reverse the flagship shared space scheme on Exhibition Road following clear research that showed the dangers of such schemes must surely hasten the demise of shared space areas across the country.
“Shared spaces fail people with sight loss. The schemes often remove kerbs and tactile paving which blind and partially people, and trained guide dogs, rely on for safe guiding, and also remove controlled crossings. People with sight loss must feel safe to cross but how can sharing a space with vehicles and cyclists be safe if you can't make eye contact or see what's coming?
“Following years of campaigning, RNIB welcomed last Summer’s partial pause to new developments put in place by the Government.
“However, this pause doesn’t apply to schemes that were already approved, or existing schemes, so RNIB and our campaigners continue to highlight the detrimental impact they have on blind and partially sighted people’s lives. Where schemes are reversed, such as this one on Exhibition Road, we are calling for kerbs and controlled crossings to be restored.
“This new research shines a light on how dangerous the schemes can be and must mean that local authorities, and the Government, now commit to ending them once and for all.
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About RNIB
We are the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).
Every six minutes, someone in the UK begins to lose their sight. RNIB is taking a stand against exclusion, inequality and isolation to create a world without barriers where people with sight loss can lead full lives. A different world where society values blind and partially sighted people not for the disabilities they’ve overcome, but for the people they are.
RNIB. See differently. Call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or visit www.rnib.org.uk