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Pedestrian Areas: Visual Impairment

Asked by Dr Al PinkertonLiberal DemocratDepartment for TransportTabled Answered 2 September 2025UIN 69651

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to (a) reduce street obstacles and (b) improve the accessibility of pavements for (i) blind and (ii) visually impaired people in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood

Local authorities are responsible for managing their roads, including the provision of fixed street furniture such as benches, bins and cycle racks. It is for local authorities to manage their roads in such as way as to comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty.

The Department’s guidance document Inclusive Mobility provides advice on designing accessible public realm and includes recommendations on placing street furniture in a way that does not create obstructions for disabled people.

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