Can Shared Surfaces be Safely Negotiated by Blind and Partially Sighted People?

Some Shared Space Schemes incorporate level surfaces; with the removal of the traditional vertical kerb upstand between the footway (pedestrian space) and carriageway (vehicle space). Level surfaces make it more difficult for blind and partially sighted people to navigate safely, and they cannot use eye contact with drivers to navigate in a trafficked area, hence the suggestion of retaining a 'Safe Space' within the 'Shared Space'. Delineation of this 'Safe Space' from the space shared with vehicles requires a surface that is detectable by blind and partially sighted people, whilst not being an obstacle for other pedestrians. This work presents laboratory experiments that were designed to determine the detectability by blind and partially sighted participants of a number of potential surfaces and the ability of participants with mobility impairments to pass over these surfaces. The results show the difficulty of finding a surface that is suitable for both detection and ease of passing over, but indicate some possibilities worth further research.

• Corporate Authors:

  Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation

  302, Tower A, New Mandarin Plaza, 14 Science Museum Road, Tsimshatsui East, Kowloon
  Hong Kong,   China 
• Authors:
  • Childs, Craig R
  • Thomas, Carol
  • Sharp, Sue
  • Tyler, Nick
• Conference:
  • TRANSED 2010: 12th International Conference on Mobility and Transport for Elderly and Disabled Persons
  • Location: Hong Kong , China
  • Date: 2010-6-1 to 2010-6-4
• Publication Date: 2010

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 10p
• Monograph Title: TRANSED 2010: 12th International Conference on Mobility and Transport for Elderly and Disabled Persons, June 1-4, 2010

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Blind persons; Detectable warning surfaces; Pedestrian areas; Pedestrian safety; Urban design; Visually impaired persons; Wayfinding
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; I20: Design and Planning of Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01360756
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 25 2012 11:57AM