Retrofitting an accessible highway: a user-led approach

Although accessibility for mobility-impaired pedestrians is ensured at the planning stage for new highway developments, and accessible features such as dropped kerbs would normally be included in refurbishment works, the risk is that many areas of the existing public highway will otherwise remain inaccessible for years to come. This paper details one practical response to this problem, adopted by Leeds City Council in the UK, aimed at creating accessible routes linking places where disabled people live with local facilities. The paper illustrates how the local authority works directly with users who are currently encountering problems on their regular journeys, or are unable to travel independently because of the barriers in the street environment, and with other stakeholders, to formulate a targeted programme of works (with a dedicated annual budget) to retrofit the highway and alleviate the identified access problems. This approach seems to have a number of benefits, including the allocation of resources to the areas where they are most needed and are most likely to make a difference. Initial feedback indicates wider benefits for the wellbeing and independence of disabled people, better participation and social activities and community life, reduced cost of travel and reduced reliance on care services.