Sight loss charities welcome High Court judgement

Local charities RNIB NI and Guide Dogs NI have welcomed the 'landmark judgement' delivered at the High Court in Belfast about the height of kerbs in Lisburn city centre's £5m public realm scheme.Lisburn woman Joanna Toner, who is blind, successfully argued that Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council failed to consider its Section 75 equality obligations, which required the council to consciously consider the needs of blind and partially sighted people when designing and implementing the public realm scheme.As a result, the court quashed the council's decision to allow 30mm high kerbs in the scheme and ordered them to think again in light of the negative impact on blind and partially sighted people.The court confirmed that public authorities who fail to give consideration to the needs of blind and partially sighted people when carrying out their duties risk being subject to judicial review proceedings.Guide Dogs NI and RNIB NI, who have been supporting Joanna throughout the Judicial Review, have urged local councils to champion inclusive design, making town and city centres accessible to all.A joint statement issued by the charities said: 'Local councils have to give due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity. This legislation exists so that public authorities play their part in making society fairer and remove barriers that people with sight loss face on a daily basis.'The accessibility of public realm schemes in Northern Ireland and across the UK is an issue increasingly affecting blind and partially sighted people. Shared surface streets are a significant safety concern for people who are blind and partially sighted, as they rely upon the presence of the kerb to know they are on the pavement and not in the road. 'Guide Dogs commissioned research into the safety of such schemes has shown that a minimum kerb height of 60mm is required to ensure that it is detected (University College London, 2009). This advice has been accepted by the Department for Infrastructure and was issued in May
Joanna Toner pictured outside the High Court in Belfast. Pic by Michael CooperJoanna Toner pictured outside the High Court in Belfast. Pic by Michael Cooper
Joanna Toner pictured outside the High Court in Belfast. Pic by Michael Cooper