Never conduct any study on this. But from discussion with people with disability, blind people appreciate it a lot, but need to build it properly so that will not make people with wheelchair stuck because of uneven surface.

Thanks for your answer.

In the articles that I found, I noticed your suggestion.

I also read that when you build something you shuld test that by people with disabilities.

And for me this is the only and the best solution.

Something like conclusion: it is better to do anything even if not appropriate at this time, but certainly in the future may serve as an example to improve or to leave if is well.

If you conduct such a study, I would strongly suggest dividing people into different categories based on their disability. From informal discussions, I have heard that the tactile paving surfaces are helpful for people who are blind, but people in wheelchairs have complained a lot about them to me. Even if it they are able to maneuver wheelchairs over the tactile paving without getting stuck, the tactile paving can cause a vibration as they pass over it that can be physically uncomfortable or affect items they are carrying. I know one person in a wheelchair who said he made the mistake of trying to bring home groceries when he was going to have to pass over the tactile paving surfaces, and it resulted in breaking some eggs inside the bags. I don't know if there would be a difference based on whether their wheelchairs were manual or electric.

I found a study in England that mention this problem in relation to people in wheelchairs.

Certainly they may have problems in some situations, but in the case of large areas, I think there's no problem.

The problem can only occur in small areas in some cases (for example small rail station).

I also agree with the difference in manual and electric wheelchairs. I think that for an electric wheelchair to be less of a problem because they are a lot heavier.

Thanks for your comment

Hello, this has been a difficult issue for researchers and town planners. If wheelchair ramps leading down into the street, at a road crossing for example, are smooth, they provide the optimal transition for wheelchair users. However, non-visual pedestrians are often unable to detect this minor undulation, approaching it as a change in slope on the side of the street that they are walking on. Consequently they often continue into the street as if they where still on a pedestrian path. Some blind participants I have worked with, even talked of these as "suicide chutes"! As they led them directly into streets with traffic.

There is some literature (unfortunately I do have a copy or reference) from Swedish town planners who have attempted to provide a mixed "optimal solution.

Would you be willing to share the references that you do have as this remains an interest of mine. Thank you.

Hello Dan,

I am particularly interested in the area of ​​the railway station. I am also interested in the problem solvingas part of the approach roads to the railway station. If you have a positive experience you could share them with us. Also we can make some comparisons between the solutions applied in your country and mine.

Documet:

"Rail safety Standard Board - Research Programme - Operations- The use of tactile surface at rail stations"

This is very good document.

For me it would be interesting to have review similar objects that have been implemented and how are accepted by people with disabilities.

The document refers to a database containing details of the interaction of each user. fFor me that is the best validation of good or bad infrastructure solution. The only question is whether it is possible to put into practice - database?

Hi Dragan,

are you aware of the study on tactile tiles in urban spaces by Marta Dischinger and José Jackson Filho?

Can Tactile Tiles Create Accessible Urban Spaces? Space and Culture August 2012 15: 210-223

Hi Ann,

I just found abstract, and it seems like an interesting article.

For me they are all parts of one big puzzle, which means there is no complete picture if not all parts are present.

I'm more of a practitioner, and I like to see how it works.

Because I'm interested in the applied experience.

In my country next week will be meeting about solving the problems of persons with disabilities, the comments on the amended of rule book of accessibility and the current state, which takes place on the field.

I'll try to see what the positions on some issues that interest me. Among other things, this issue.

If you are interested we can exchange some experiences.

Hi Dragan,

I supervised two design projects focusing on tactile paving and visual impairment in London. Some details and links to summary and publications as below. Bothe projects were design-lead, using design ethnography to conduct research with people and create guidelines and solutions. In over 100 sites we surveyed in London in 2010, not one had tactile paving installed correctly. A major disturbance was street works - hence the work we followed up with in 2012,

Contact me if you want to know more,

Rama

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Project Sight Line 2010:

Working in partnership with CABE Space, this project focused on how blind and partially sighted people navigate the public realm in order to embed an understanding of their needs into emerging street design practice. It engaged with urban designers, engineers and people with low vision in order to share information and insights. By looking at how real people experience street environments, it sought to move the debate away from abstract ideas and towards practical interventions informed by user experience.

http://www.rca.ac.uk/research-innovation/helen-hamlyn-centre/research-projects/2010-projects/sight-line/

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Project Sight Line 2012:

This year built on the 2010 research to propose an accessible new system with physical and digital elements to make streetworks less disruptive to blind and partially sighted people.

http://www.rca.ac.uk/research-innovation/helen-hamlyn-centre/research-projects/2012-projects/sight-line-better-streetworks-all/

http://www.rca.ac.uk/research-innovation/helen-hamlyn-centre/research-projects/2012-projects/sight-line-better-streetworks-all/

http://www.rca.ac.uk/research-innovation/helen-hamlyn-centre/research-projects/2010-projects/sight-line/

Dear Rama Gheerawo,

thank you very much. This is very interesting project. I have one question: Do you have some overview, to record some statistics of satisfaction and reaction or even to do some little improvements, of results during period of implementation until now?

Best regards