21 people present
5 apologies

1. Welcome/Introductions
Catherine welcomed everyone, everyone introduced themselves.

2. Ben Kennedy- Area Accessibility Scheme consultation
Ben Kennedy (Transport Planner) and Polycorp Tengwana (Traffic Engineer) from Hackney's Streetscene department attended the Disability Backup Forum meeting and gave a short presentation on Local Area Accessibility schemes.

Summary of responses and comments are as follows:

• The area around Well Street Common needs work, disabled people have accessibility problems due to lack of dropped kerbs and adequate crossings. Members would like to meet Streetscene officers on site to undertake an audit of footways in the area.
  Action: Streetscene officers and Disability Backup will work together to facilitate a site audit with local residents and stakeholders towards the end of February-early March.
  
  


• The following roads lack dropped kerbs and adequate crossing facilities: area encompassing Northwold Road, Brooke Road, Rectory Road and Stoke Newington High Street.
  Action: Streetscene officers will audit the area and progress necessary works subject to TfL funding.
  
  


• Graham Road - a forum member had concerns about lack of dropped kerbs, lack of adequate street lighting (following installation of new columns), lack of lighting at pelican crossings, and poor drainage on footways and at crossings.
  Action: Disability Backup to forward onto Streetscene officers the exact location of the issues on Graham Road which will then be investigated and followed up.
  
  


• General comments about drainage problems resulting from the installation of speed tables and poor design of them. All new scheme designs are subject to a quality audit so this issue will no longer occur.
  
  


• Shared surface cycle lanes and cycle lanes on footpaths were raised as a safety issue by group members. For blind or partially sighted people who cannot differentiate between black footway surfacing and the green surfacing of cycle lanes they can be dangerous. Members have particular concerns about the routes in London Fields and Goldsmiths Row (Dove Row).
  Action: Streetscene are planning to undertake improvement works to the London Fields cycle route in the next financial year and following agreement with the Parks Department and the Park Users Group we will examine possibility of installing of additional cycle logos on the London Fields cycle lane. Streetscene recently submitted an unsuccessful bid for funding from TfL to improve the Goldsmiths Row cycle lane however we are planning to submit another bid in the next financial year.
  
  


• The pedestrian crossing in Green Lanes just south of the junction with Gloucester Drive was reported to provide insufficient time for pedestrians to cross safely.
  Action: Streetscene have reported this defect to TfL's signal fault team (tel: 020 7126 2345), the fault reference number is ANL1007573.
  
  


• Members highlighted the problem of steep cambers on footways - this can result in problems for wheelchair users and those with walking difficulties.
  Action: A slight camber is necessary on all footways to allow drainage and surface water runoff into the carriageway. The Council is undertaking a rolling programme of footway reconstruction throughout the borough (Mare Street is currently being reconstructed) which will resolve this problem in all completed roads.
  
  


• Members stated that tactile paving at crossing points is uncomfortable and painful for wheelchair users and those with walking difficulties. The borough is subject to national guidance from the Department for Transport however this issue has been raised across the country.
  Action: Streetscene will examine sources for funding to look at new and innovative ways of replacing tactile paving with other materials that cater for blind or visually impaired people but do not cause discomfort to wheelchair users and others.