Exhibition Road strides towards becoming world’s most
accessible cultural destination
24 July 2009
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has taken a further
step towards its goal to make Exhibition Road the most accessible
cultural destination in the world with the approval of the detailed
design for a single surface to span the length of the famous
road.
The Council’s Cabinet yesterday voted to remove kerbs and
instead introduce a single surface with clear visual and tactile
delineators that will distinguish between pedestrian areas and the
carriageway. The decision aims to reconcile the needs of different
user groups and ensure that Exhibition Road becomes a safe and
accessible place for the 11.5 million visitors to the area
each year.
Kerbs present a difficulty for many and a single surface will
significantly improve access for those using wheelchairs, push
chairs, motorised buggies as well as the elderly and partially
sighted for example. Black cast iron drainage covers will line each
side of the vehicle zone to visually separate pedestrian areas from
moving traffic, which is particularly useful for young children and
the partially sighted.
Conscious of the need to create safe pedestrian zones for the
blind, wide strips of corduroy tactile – ridged paving often used
to demark steps – will be installed alongside the drainage gulley
to alert blind people to the edge of the safe zone, enabling them
to use Exhibition Road with confidence.
Councillor Nicholas Paget-Brown said: “Accessibility and safety
are of paramount importance to the Royal Borough and our partners
Westminster City Council and the Mayor of London. Everyone agrees
that current conditions in the Exhibition Road area are not
acceptable and with over 100 road traffic accidents in the last
three years alone, there is an urgent need to address the
problem.
“It’s our responsibility to consider all users as we work to
transform Exhibition Road and we believe that this design, combined
with the introduction of a 20 mph speed limit, will substantially
improve safety and accessibility for everyone.”
The Mayor of London, the Royal Borough and Westminster City
Council have been working together on the plans to improve the
environment around the world class museums and institutions in the
Exhibition Road area for a number of years. The Exhibition Road
scheme is intended to transform one of London's key visitor
attractions into a more user-friendly space. The scheme is due for
completion by the end of 2011, in time for the 2012 Olympic
Games.
The Council will carry out a further safety audit following
yesterday’s decision and is involved in ongoing research funded by
Transport for London into delineation devices for single surface
schemes, as part of its continued commitment to safety and
accessibility. Furthermore, the Council is working with Imperial
College to monitor the existing use of Exhibition Road and will
continue to monitor road usage for up to two years after
implementation to assess the safety of the road.
To view the full cabinet report:
cabinet report