New street layout in Glasgow is dangerous, say blind people

New street layout in Glasgow is dangerous, say blind people

19 February

By Ian Hamilton BBC Scotland

A plan to encourage people to walk and cycle more has made parts of Glasgow dangerous and inaccessible for visually-impaired people, it has been claimed.

Sauchiehall Street was the first to be redesigned as part of the Avenues Project.

It aims to make Glasgow a more environmentally-friendly city and will see 17 key streets transformed.

Audrey Ward, who is totally blind and a white cane user, said walking in Sauchiehall Street was now an "absolutely terrifying" experience.

The new layout has seen the expansion of footpaths and cycle lanes but dips between each are very small compared to the usual kerb at the side of road.

This means Audrey can't use her cane to detect where the pavement ends and dual cycle lane begins - meaning she could walk straight into it.

"There's no landmarks, no tactile paving," she told BBC Scotland. "I didn't know when to cross, I couldn't hear cyclists going past.

"I am normally an independent traveller. If I had to come here, I would have to come with a colleague to bring me up Sauchiehall Street."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-60431429