A group representing blind people has trashed a suggestion by Sadiq Khan that the ‘level of discomfort’ people experience at floating London bus stops, when ‘well designed’, is ‘low’ and expressed concern about cyclists being distracted by their phones. The Mayor of London has also raised the possibility of ‘changes to the Highway Code regarding hand signals to indicate when a cyclist is slowing down’.
Sarah Gayton, Street Access Campaign Coordinator, National Federation of the Blind of the UK asked if Mr Khan ‘had been on the city’s streets lately’ and seen cyclists ‘using their phones’ while riding through the bypasses – where cycle lanes pass close to bus stops. She added that riders ‘fly through’ them.
It comes after MyLondon spoke to blind and visually impaired Londoners about their experience. You can read what they had to say here.
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People are ‘not going out as much’
Ms Gayton said: “The problem is the design of the floating bus stops and it will not be fixed by hand signals which blind people will not be able to see. This also does not tackle the bus islands which are totally disorienting for a blind person. They simply do not work, blind and visually impaired people need to be able to board and alight the bus directly from the pavement without having to cross or step into a live cycle lane first.
“The mayor is seriously losing his credibility on this issue […] Instead of tackling the route cause of the problem – the design […] It is absolutely horrible and abhorrent way the mayor is treating blind and visually impaired people’s access needs in the capital. The level of amenity lost at these bus stops means blind and visually impaired people are simply keeping away from them, using taxis more or simply not going out as much. The mayor has to take action and stop any more being rolled out.”
The campaigner then mentioned meetings with Mr Khan’s walking and cycling tsar, Will Norman, in 2019, and his deputy mayor for transport, Seb Dance, in 2023, claiming that concerns raised by blind and visually impaired Londoners have been ‘ignored’. The campaigner said: “The only hand signals that are needed is to show those people in TfL who have continually ignored this issue, is to show them the door.
“There should be no place for discrimination in Transport for London and unfortunately these designs are imbedding and hard wiring discrimination into the very roads that keep Londoners moving all day and every day. Well, we have had enough of being ignored and action to stop any more of these bus stops being built and the existing ones taken out, starting with all those put down in lockdown.”
Bypasses ‘nationally recognised approach to reduce injury’
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A spokesperson for Mr Khan said: “Protected cycle routes, which can feature bus stop bypasses on bus routes, reduce the risk of injury to cyclists by 40-65 per cent and are an important part of London’s Vision Zero goal to eliminate deaths and serious injuries on our roads. Bus stop bypasses are in line with Government guidance and are a nationally recognised approach for avoiding the dangers of cyclists going around buses into oncoming traffic.
“The mayor is committed to making London a more inclusive city and supporting more people to walk, cycle and take public transport. That is why he asked TfL to carry a review into the safety of bus stop bypasses and identify potential for any improvements. TfL’s recent report found that very few collisions have occurred at bus stop bypasses and that they have not led to a reduction in bus stop use by older or disabled customers.
“However, we recognise the concerns some people have using this infrastructure and we are actively working with disabled people and accessibility groups to look at improvements to design and the behaviour of road users and ensure all of London’s infrastructure is as safe as possible for everyone.”
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