Road crossing are supposed to enable people to cross roads safely
But dependent on their features, or, in many instances, lack of them, they can make disabled people feel anything but safe
So, here’s three ways i believe we could make road crossings better.
Audio
We still have major crossing points without audio notification
This means many people, including people with visual impairments and those who need absolute certainty it’s safe to cross, are often unsure when it’s safe to do so
Audio at crossings needs to be the standard
Rotating tactile cones
Many crossings now have rotating, tactile cones that spin when it’s safe to cross
But many of them are missing, putting people dependent on tactile notification, such as visually impaired and DeafBlind people, at risk
Tactile cones at crossings need to be regularly reviewed and maintained by local authorities
Crossing time
Current guidance suggests that crossings should assume a walking speed of 1.2 meters per second
Yet, the average walking speed for people in the UK is 0.85 meters per second – with this much slower for many disabled people out there who may be more cautious when crossing a road, have fatigue or mobility related conditions
Crossing time needs to be adjusted to reflect true walking speed.
As ever, these are just my thoughts. How could crossings be made better for you?
Witten by Ben Andrews on