Awareness, Understanding and Communication of Tactile Pavement Usage within the United Kingdom. Stella Wisdom Edinburgh College of Art, United Kingdom

Brief biography: During 2000 I worked on a "Share the Vision" survey, Loughborough University. Which investigated the library and information needs of visually impaired people in the UK. I have also assisted research at Birkbeck College, University of London. Using qualitative interviews to ask visually impaired people about their experiences of visiting museums. These influenced me to write my MA thesis on a similar topic and then start a PhD exploring accessibility issues within landscape architecture.

My PhD examines accessibility requirements relating to the needs and experiences of visually impaired pedestrians. One aim is to understand if and how visually impaired pedestrians use tactile pavement as navigation and hazard avoidance cues alongside other systems and mobility aids.

According to the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee, an independent body, which advises the UK Government on the transport needs of all disabled people: “There are over 8.5 million disabled people in Great Britain, who face major, widespread problems and disadvantages on all forms of transport and in the built environment.”

There are over 1 million registerable blind and partially sighted people in the UK. Of which 5% have no sight at all. 66% of visually impaired people are over 75. This means that one in five people over the age of 75 in the UK is visually impaired. (Source: Royal National Institute for the Blind)

Age related sight loss is often accompanied by other conditions, such as arthritis, diabetes and hearing and mobility impairments. These conditions have implications regarding the effectiveness of navigation systems.

Visually impaired people either move around independently or with the aid of a sighted person acting as a guide. Those who move around independently will do so by using either a mobility aid, any useful residual sight, or perhaps a combination of both. In the UK the most common mobility aids used by visually impaired pedestrians are long white canes, long canes with a roller tips and guide dogs.

Many visually impaired people seek and use tactile information underfoot. However, the ability to detect tactile pavement contrasts, varies from one person to another. Older visually impaired people and people who have lost their sight through medical conditions, such as diabetes, may have reduced sensitivity in their feet. It is important that textures warning of potential hazards, for example a staircase, are distinguishable enough to be detectable by most people, without constituting a trip hazard or causing excessive discomfort to other groups, such as wheelchair users.

The UK government is keen to support and encourage correct and standardized usage of tactile pavement. In 1998 the Department for Transport produced official guidelines: "Guidance on the Use of Tactile Paving Surfaces", to assist streetscape designers and town planners in their work.

In the UK there are currently seven different types of tactile paving, each with an individual significance: 1.blister surface for pedestrian crossing points 2.corduroy hazard warning surface 3.platform (off street) warning edge surface 4.platform (on street) warning edge surface 5.guidance path surface 6.information surface 7.segregated shared cycle track/footway surface

Red blister surface is used for controlled road crossing points.

The layout advice explains that two or three courses of the paving are extended to the back edge of the footpath, so that the location of the crossing can be detected.

For non-controlled crossing points, i.e. dropped kerbs, a yellow or buff blister surface is used. Colour contrast features can be useful for partially sighted people.

On the left is the UK corduroy hazard warning, used in this example to indicate steps. In Japan there are only two types of surface. Guidance stripes for navigation and a blister surface for everything else – including road crossings, doorways, steps and escalators; as seen in the photograph on the right.

My research objective is to investigate, analyse and compare, manufacturers', implementers' and users' awareness and understanding of tactile pavement, within the UK. My main research method is qualitative interviews with all these groups, in two UK cities: Glasgow and Birmingham. The study focuses on the communication between these groups and will hopefully expose any need for awareness campaigns, educational training and consultation of users.

Tactile pavement issues I'm interested in: Lack of awareness of its use and meanings. Lack of training for designers about how to install tactile pavement. Inconsistent, incorrect and misleading tactile pavement installations. Lack of mobility training about how to use tactile pavement.

Trainee mobility officers in Glasgow, learning how to teach tactile pavement recognition techniques.

There is a need for synchronicity both locally, nationally and possibly internationally. Otherwise visually impaired pedestrians cannot rely upon tactile pavement, for it may inadvertently lead them into danger. "Much tactile paving across the country, whether at controlled or uncontrolled crossings, is sporadic and unconnected to the rest of the route. The implementation of tactile paving needs to follow some kind of a system at least across one authority if not across the country". Beata Duncan-Jones, Mobility Officer, Hammersmith and Fulham Council. In her report "Understanding Tactile Paving".

In the UK it is incorrect to use a blister surface to warn of hazards.

The UK surface to warn of hazards is a corduroy texture

In addition to being consistent, tactile pavement needs to be implemented with common sense and an understanding of how visually impaired people will use it: "Tactile paving is useless if it's put in the wrong way, for example on the corner of a road. But it is never safe for a blind person to cross on the corner because you could find yourself out in the middle of the road. Having that there actually increases the danger for me". Quote from "Travellers' Tales, making journeys safer for blind and partially sighted people", Campaign Report 21 (London: RNIB, 2002)

Tactile pavement also needs adequate and frequent maintenance.

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