Blind in fury over paving plan

09 February 2010

BLIND and partially sighted people are angry at Newham Town Hall plans to change tactile paving at a variety of road crossings.

The council are currently consulting on plans to tarmac over the bumped slabs, which help blind or partially sighted people tell where they are, in ten streets.

On top of this, it wants to make all the tactile paving in the borough grey or pink meaning, it is said, that partially sighted people would not be able to distinguish them. This, say campaigners, is contrary to Department of Transport guidance.

The changes concern Dersingham Avenue, Manor Park; Munday Road, Canning Town; Hollington Road, East Ham; Monmouth Road, East Ham; Station Road, Forest Gate; Chesley Gardens, Forest Gate; Daines Close, Manor Park; Barking Road, East Ham; High Street, Plaistow, and Prince Regent Lane, Custom House.

The Royal National Institute of Blind (RNIB) organised three walks around the borough to highlight the problems they say the plans would cause.

The charity say the month-long consultation period is too short, and that large print and Braille copies of the plans only were not immediately available.

The consultation date has now been extended from January 24 to Sunday.

RNIB said the questionnaire was flawed as it only included 'yes' and 'no' answers and there was no space for respondents to talk about their concerns in depth.

Mohammed Mohsan-Ali, 23, who is totally blind, said he had to ask a sighted person to read the plans out to him.

Mr Mohsan-Ali, of Neville Road, Forest Gate, said he was appalled by the proposals and thinks they would make the borough's streets dangerous to use.

He said: "People like myself who do not have any sight at all would be unable to go out and do everything we normally do in everyday life. How are we going to know where the crossing is?"

He argued that the consultation should be for at least three months and because it was held over Christmas not many people would have time to look at it and respond.

"I think that all the mistakes they have made, it is completely disgusting what they have done," he added.

A council spokeswoman said: "Over the years, tactile paving has been installed in a variety of different layouts and colours which can be confusing to blind and partially sighted people.

"It can also be painful to walk on for people suffering from arthritis and diabetes.

"A number of London boroughs, including Newham, and Transport for London are now looking at a simplified approach to tactile paving."

She added that the results of the consultation will be reported to the March 11 Cabinet meeting, where a recommendation to change or kept the existing paving will be made. To view the plans visit www.newham.gov.uk/Features/TactilePaving