The London Assembly has put its support behind the campaign of
Transport for All calling on councils and transport authorities
to sign an Equal Pavements Pledge.
The London Assembly also called on the Mayor to work with
Transport for London (TfL) and councils in London to respond to
the pledge with a comprehensive programme to be delivered in his
current term.
AM, who proposed the motion said:
“Lots of us take our pavements for granted, but to many disabled
people, they still feel inaccessible due to barriers that the
Mayor has the power to fix.
“Being able to move around our city freely is a right that should
be afforded to all Londoners, including those with complex needs.
The Mayor needs to work with both Transport for London and
councils to make sure he delivers on the Pledge in the current
term to help include and empower disabled people.”
MBE AM, who seconded the motion said:
“There is no inevitable conflict between outdoor catering in many
places and accessible pavements, but al-fresco dining must be
delivered with care and
full consideration of the needs of everyone. We must not
sacrifice the minimum pavement space that is necessary to
guarantee access for everyone.”
“The basic principle must be upheld that no one is excluded from
our pavements due to cluttered pavements and other barriers.
“The challenges of delivering accessible pavements also go much
further, with some streets still lacking dropped kerbs and
tactile paving at road crossings.
“The Mayor, TfL and local authorities must work together to
create streetspace that is equitable and accessible to everyone.
An open London should be open to all.”
The full text of the motion is:
“This Assembly notes that 95 per cent of roads are the
responsibility of London boroughs and only 5 per cent belong to
the TfL network. This Assembly notes the campaign of Transport
for All calling on councils and transport authorities to sign an
Equal Pavements Pledge.
This Assembly notes that the majority of disabled people polled
by Transport for All were worried that streets remained
inaccessible with many streets still lacking even drop kerbs to
enable level access along pavements or to cross the street.
This Assembly also notes that disabled people were concerned at
the risk of further barriers being presented – either from the
way in which changes to streets were delivered, or from al-fresco
dining being delivered without consideration for the need for
clear access on pavements.
The Equal Pavements Pledge outlines a need to:
- Listen to disabled people, and act
- Keep pavements clear
- Cut pavement clutter
- Reduce the impact of waste removal
- Audit pavements and install drop kerbs where they are missing
- Protect blue badge parking, with relocation kept to a minimum
- Work with disabled experts, committing to co-production of
schemes
This Assembly notes that the Mayor through TfL has engaged
directly with organisations representing people with specific
accessibility requirements in addition to engagement with its
Independent Disability Advisory Group. Furthermore, TfL has
hosted a series of working groups with representatives including
Transport for All, Disability Rights UK, Inclusion London, Scope
and the Royal Institute of Blind People to hear their views, and
TfL carries out equality impact assessments on every scheme it
leads on. This Assembly agrees that London continues to need
investment and progress in making pavements fully accessible, and
calls upon the Mayor to work with Transport for London (TfL) and
councils in London to respond to the pledge with a comprehensive
programme to be delivered in his current term.”
