Make changes to Exhibition Road plan while there's still time

Written by Robin Meltzer, Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate, Kensington and published in letter to Hammersmith & Kensington Times on Thu 12th Nov 2009

I was pleased to see that you dedicated the front page of the Hammersmith & Kensington Times to the Guide Dogs for the Blind case against Kensington & Chelsea Council's plans for Exhibition Road. The plans for such an extreme form of shared space are going to be dangerous for the blind, partially sighted and other vulnerable road users.

It's important not to confuse what is planned for Exhibition Road with other, smaller, projects. In Kensington High Street, town planners have removed what they call "street furniture" but what the rest of us call railings, bollards etc. This opens up an otherwise busy road and encourages cars to be more conscious of pedestrians as they cross. But crucially, there is still a reserved space for pedestrians which feels different to the road.

This is a world away from the plans for Exhibition Road which are a grand version of what they have done to Holbein Place in Chelsea. Because there is no clear differentiation between the road and the pavement, many residents who are actually able bodied and youthful have expressed concern about it, let alone the blind, so I can quite see why Guide Dogs for the Blind are so worried.

I hope that the pressure Guide Dogs for the Blind are putting on the Council leads to more movement from the Council on this. Previous pressure has led to accessibility issues being addressed more seriously. Just because it is the pet project of certain cabinet members does not mean they should worry about losing face by changing it a little more. Much better they change it now than they come to rue the consequences later.