Road Safety and Engineering Team walk blind through Wandsworth

The aim of the walk, hosted by South West London Sight Loss Council (SLC), was to enable the engineers to experience issues facing blind and partially sighted people, including street obstacles, uneven pavements, overgrown foliage, and bollards. 

See our engineers on Good Morning Britain

Watch the walk on the ITV website. The feature runs from 00:12

Sight Loss Councils

Sight Loss Councils, funded by Thomas Pocklington Trust, are regional groups led by blind and partially sighted people. Together, they work with organisations to ensure what they do is accessible and inclusive.

Councillor Kemi Akinola, Deputy Leader of Wandsworth Council said: “Experiencing the streets from the perspective of someone with sight loss underscores the need for thoughtful, inclusive design in our public spaces. In Wandsworth, we are committed to making the borough accessible for everyone, and supporting residents with disabilities is a vital part of this mission.

“This sim spec walk with the Sight Loss Council is a powerful way to understand the daily challenges faced by our blind and partially sighted community, and it will continue to inform the way we plan, design, and adapt our streets to ensure they are truly safe and accessible for all.”

South West London SLC members also attended and took the opportunity to share their own personal experiences of the problems that they face on a daily basis, as blind and partially sighted pedestrians.

Haren Thillainathan, SW London SLC volunteer pictured in the image above with his guide dog Addie, said:

“I’m pleased that staff from Wandsworth Council’s engineering department have embraced the opportunity to participate in this sim spec walk. I hope it gives them greater insight into how blind and partially sighted residents interact with the built environment, and how we can be impacted by street and highway design.

“This builds on a great track record of collaboration over the last year, where Wandsworth Council has responded to feedback from South West London SLC on how design of key projects - such as Burntwood Lane - can be enhanced to improve their safety and accessibility for blind and partially sighted people. This is very gratifying.”

Harry Meade, SW London SLC volunteer also pictured above, added:

“As a Wandsworth resident and member of South West London Sight Loss Council, I am delighted that we have been able to build an excellent working relationship with members of Wandsworth Council within the safer Streets environment.

“We have conducted site visits to discuss future street layout plans and been able to feed in our thoughts as BPS residents. The sim spec walk aims to increase the understanding of Wandsworth Council about the needs of those living with sight loss. We look forward to working with the council on future projects to continue to increase the accessibility of Wandsworth’s streets.”

Find out more

To support all residents, but particularly those who are blind or living with sight loss, we have cracked down on irresponsible e-bike parking, and are installing designated parking bays across the borough.

Our 'Decade of Renewal' is a 10-year programme of improvements that will tackle the deteriorating condition of both our roads and pavements. It includes relaying pavements to create smoother and more accessible routes, as well as removing street clutter, to make our pavements safer and easier to navigate.

This aligns with our 'Future Streets' strategy, which outlines a new far-reaching package of cleaner, greener and safer active travel choices for residents.