Words by Smiley Team
Sight Loss Councils made up of visually impaired people from around the country have come together to launch the #StreetsforAll campaign, asking for streets to be made safer for all pedestrians.
The Sight Loss Councils are led by blind and partially sighted people and funded by the charity the Thomas Pocklington Trust.
The #StreetsforAll campaign was launched in October 2020 to raise awareness of the dangers e-scooters, cluttered pavements and pavement parking pose for visually impaired pedestrians.
E-scooters are fast, heavy and difficult to hear. Many people ride the scooters on pavements, raising serious concerns about the risk of collisions with blind or partially sighted pedestrians.
In addition, e-scooter trials operating dockless parking have seen e-scooters abandoned across pavements, creating a real danger for visually impaired people to try to navigate.
Mike Bell, National Public Affairs Lead for Sight Loss Councils, said: “Working with Thomas Pocklington Trust, we have responded to this challenge locally and nationally.
“We have worked with RNIB, Guide Dogs, Visionary and London Vision to create sector guidance for local councils and e-scooter operators, based on the concerns of blind and partially sighted people and the actions we wanted them to take.
“We have also looked to positively engage with e-scooter operators, highlighting concerns and pushing for changes.”
Sight Loss Councils have also been tackling the issues posed by street furniture outside cafes and restaurants as tables and chairs blocking pavements are causing physical barriers to visually impaired people’s independence.
York Sight Loss Council recently invited city councillors and officials to ‘walk blind’ so they can experience the challenges outdoor street furniture poses for blind and partially sighted people.
Mike believes the work of Sight Loss Council volunteers has been central in moving the campaign forward. He added: “Our volunteers have written to local councillors and MPs and met with e-scooter operators and local authorities. These actions have had a real impact in shaping the debate.”
For more information about Sight Loss Council’s #StreetsForAll campaign go to their website or follow them on Twitter.
