Imtac has today published a paper highlighting the concerns of Committee members about shared surface streets. Shared surface schemes remove traditional demarcations such as kerbs between pedestrians and vehicles. Such schemes effectively mean all road users share the same space. Indepth research from Guide Dogs has highlighted the negative impact of shared surface street schemes on people with a visual impairment, other disabled people as well as older people and young children.
Over the past year Imtac has raised concerns over a number of proposals for shared surface street schemes in Northern Ireland. Thankfully these proposals were stopped. However we have now decided to publish a statement expressing our concerns about the safety of such schemes and asking for a moratorium on any new schemes here until further research has taken place. Our statement mirrors a statement produced the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) in 2008. DPTAC is a statutory advisor to United Kingdom Government on transport issues for disabled people.
Copies of the statement are available from the Publications section of this website. Hard copies or copies in alternative formats are available by contacting Michael Lorimer through our office.
