Blind Advocates Protesting Shared Street in Wales, UK Town

The town of Caernarfon in Wales (in the United Kingdom) has drawn the attention and anger of blind rights advocates by creating a town square where there are no marked curbs to set pedestrian walkways apart from the streets where the cars drive, according to a BBC report.

The charity Guide Dogs says this design puts the blind at risk, as curbs are an important marker for visually impaired pedestrians. Critics say that in addition to the blind, the disabled, the elderly and children are in danger when walking in these curbless areas.

Part of the goal of critics is to prevent any other towns from creating the same ‘shared street’ set-up. Lawmakers reportedly will be using a hands-on approach to help judge the safety concerns. They will be trying to navigate around a mock shared street while blindfolded.

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