Disability Watford has some positive news to share on a topic that we have been campaigning on, to make streets safer for people with sight loss. Below is an update from Guide Dogs, one of the UK’s leading sight loss charities.
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The UK Government has announced it’s calling for a pause on one of the most inaccessible types of bus stops, called shared bus stop boarders. These can prove very dangerous, as passengers are forced to get on and off buses by stepping directly into a cycle path.
The Minister for Local Transport said this decision is based on evidence about the dangers of these bus stops, and highlighted Guide Dogs’ research with University College London. You can read more about the research here.
This announcement has been made as part of a draft law going through Parliament at the moment. The Government is also writing guidance on the use of floating island bus stops.
Why is this happening? Because of support from campaigners like you raising this issue, as well as the supporters who took part in our research.
Next steps
This is an important first step, but we still have some way to go.
We’ll work to ensure the guidance on bus stop safety is as strong as possible, and we’re still calling for a pause on the roll-out of floating island bus stops.
We’re also working with Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish governments to see how they’re responding to the UK Government’s work.
We’ll continue to keep you updated on our progress. As always, thank you for your support.