Perth man extends campaign for disabled friendly streets to outwith Tayside

A registered blind man from Perth who's bidding to make the city's streets safer for visually impaired people is widening his campaign to Aberdeen.

Jonathan Attenborough wants councils to get rid of so called 'shared spaces' - which removes things like kerbs - meaning he doesn't know if he's on a road or pavement.

He's been calling for improvements to be made on Perth's Mill Street and last week came across another challenge on Broad Street in Aberdeen.

"I thought I was walking along a pavement and it was only when I heard a bus or a very large vehicle infront of me, that I was in fact walking on the road," he said

"It was quite a frightening experience, knowing that you're walking towards a large vehicle like a bus, which is moving directly towards you.

"In my opinion I don't think vehicles and pedestrians should ever have to mix with one another.

"If it comes up to a person and a vehicle, the moving vehicle's going to win every time."

Sight loss charity RNIB Scotland is also campaigning for kerbs to be installed at shared spaces.

Senior communications officer Ian Brown said: "The whole idea underpinning shared spaces is that drivers and vehicles will be more conscious, more aware of pedestrians because they're sharing the same space.

"But it also means pedestrians have got to also be aware that there's a car behind them or coming at them.

"If you can't see it's hard to be aware."

An Aberdeen City Council spokesperson said: “Aberdeen City Council continues to work with project partner Sustrans following consideration of feedback in a report to committee in May 2019 to review and implement improvements that support the blind and partially sighted community."

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