Independent travel today, not tomorrow 

David Cowdrey

Guide Dogs

What are the current barriers to transport and Mobility?

• Bus travel

• Street clutter

• Street design

• Quiet Vehicles

Talking Buses Campaign

To make buses more accessible 35 Organisations

PSVAR (2000) and Norman Baker Reading, Thamesdown, Travel De Coursey,

Lothian, Brighton, Bournemouth, Poole Dorset, Belfast,

Better Bus areas fund Result more than a 1000 new talking buses Forgotten Passengers report Top tips leaflets for drivers Bus depot driver awareness training

Street Clutter

Independent travel can be affected by: Parking on pavements: Cracking under

pressure report A-Boards – New survey conducted on 26/27

May published in August Overhanging branches – Bins, street furniture, street cafes -

Street Design This campaign has a coalition of 45 organisations Shared surface streets – What is the problem Blackpool, Coventry, London, Stratford, etc Removal of kerbs, crossings, tactile, colour contrast Update of Exhibition Road – Did legal action work? –

Cause and effect 60mm minimum detectable kerb research Shared cycleways and footways Tackling poor street design and looking at consistency

and more importantly inclusive design as an approach

Quiet Vehicles

Aren’t they good for the planet, environmentally friendly?

How can these impact on independent travel? At speeds under 20mph you have less than a

seconds warning before impact. UNECE, US NFB research paper Artificial engine noise, directional Audible and indicating state of the engine

Conclusion

Independent travel today: Improving access to public transport and

better information provision Reducing street clutter Making sure inclusive design is at the heart of

new street designs and not an after thought Looking at mitigating impacts of new silent

and low noise vehicles to help navigate urban environments.

Maintaining our independence and removing barriers to mobility.

Questions