Hi,

Since I've not seen anything come across the email on this I thought I'd
send it along in case there are those who are interested.

Thanks,

Krista
>
> GUIDE DOGS CHARITY TAKES LEGAL ACTION OVER EXHIBITION ROAD PROJECT27
> October, 2009By Ruth BloomfieldDixon Jones is facing a High Court
> challenge to its £25 million “shared space” scheme in central
> London.Solicitors acting for charity Guide Dogs are seeking a Judicial
> Review against the firm’s redesign of Exhibition Road, which involves
> removing kerbs and traditional road markings and furniture for Kensington
> and Chelsea Council and expecting road users to share the space
> instead.Guide Dogs claims the proposals compromise the safety of the
> visually impaired, who rely on kerbs to stop them walking into oncoming
> traffic.Its lawyers, Irwin Mitchell, will claim that the scheme is
> unlawful because legislation requires the edge of a carriageway to be
> marked with a white line. It believes the council requires special
> authorisation from the Department for Transport for the scheme.A spokesman
> for Guide Dogs said: “Blind and partially sighted people need
> consistency in the design of streets. If they can’t tell where the road
> begins and the pavement ends, how can they feel safe?”Councillor Nick
> Paget-Brown said the decision was disappointing in light of the “work
> research and consultation” the council had carried out.“Accessibility and
> the safety of the 11.5 million people using Exhibition Road is of the
> utmost importance to the council and we will continue to work hard to
> address the charity’s concerns, while reconciling the needs of other user
> groups,” he said.Official Cabe guidance supports “shared surface” schemes,
> which are growing in popularity across the UK. However Manchester City
> Council has declined to include shared surfaces in its new Street Design
> Manual claiming they discriminate against disabled people.
>
>


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