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Give us back our pavements
On June 6, 1978, the National Federation of the Blind launched a Give us back our pavements campaign.
This was to draw the Government and public's attention to the hazards confronting blind and partially-sighted people everyday, such as parked cars, people on bikes, unguarded holes, litter bins, overhanging branches and badly positioned street furniture on pavements.
Over the past 30 years pavements have got steadily more cluttered and less money has been spent on maintenance, leading to thousands of accidents where people have tripped, resulting in serious injuries and even deaths.
Not only are the two million blind or partially sighted people fighting to keep pavements in good repair and free of obstacles, but now the battle is on to retain pavements themselves.
Many local authorities are introducing shared space schemes with the pavement and pedestrian crossings removed leaving a flat surface for traffic and pedestrians to share.
Blind people are being prevented from visiting shops in these streets.
Plans to include such schemes in residential areas will mean those who already live there will be frightened to go out alone.
No consideration is being given to the safety of pedestrians in these schemes. All pavements should be retained, kept in good repair and be uncluttered, to enable all pedestrians to walk safely, independently and with confidence. On Pavement Day, June 6, I urge you to call on every member of local and national government to look at the state of the pavements where they live and work, and see how they would cope if they were blind or partially sighted. Better still, do something about it.
My mother-in-law died as a result of a fall on broken the pavement.
Give us back our pavements and let us be safe.
Jill Allen-King
National Federation of the Blind of the UK
9:26am Wednesday 14th May 2008
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