Sandra Wilson on the positive impact of banning A-boards and on-street advertising for blind and partially sighted people.
The City of Edinburgh Council took a landmark decision last week when its Transport and Environment Committee voted unanimously to ban A-boards and all on-street advertising from the capital. This will not only make streets safer for people with sight loss but will also make footpaths easier to use for people with prams and people in wheelchairs, as well as the general public during busy festival times.
One in three blind and partially sighted people surveyed by RNIB had been injured in a three-month period by street clutter. A-boards were cited as some of the most problematic obstacles in testimonies from blind and partially sighted campaigners that RNIB Scotland submitted to the council in the run up to the discussion of the ban.
Campaigners were keen to stress that ‘A-boards are a hazard’ and had caused them injury on day-to-day journeys One person made the point that ‘someone who doesn't see very well will be looking straight ahead as they walk so you don't see what's at your feet and will just crash into them [A-boards]’.
I am personally very glad that this ban has been passed. I lived in Edinburgh for many years and found it an easy city to get around in, despite having no sight. This had changed in recent times and A-boards were a particular problem - inconsistently placed, easy to walk into and painful if you do walk into them.
The ban will be in place from the autumn, giving businesses time to replace on-street advertising with menu boards and fixed above shop flags. Prior to last week’s decision there was a ban on on-street advertising on select streets in Edinburgh. Having a citywide ban will help put all businesses on a level playing field and will make enforcing a ban easier.
Street clutter is a problem across Scotland, with some blind and partially sighted people feeling so intimidated by the risk of injury, or the embarrassment of colliding with obstacles, that they stay at home, cutting themselves off from communities. It should never be the case that people are isolated by their sight loss or feel uncomfortable going out in their local area, but this is the reality for many people in Scotland. Edinburgh’s decision to ban on-street advertising decreases the risk of people feeling trapped in their homes and I hope that other councils follow their lead. If A-boards can be banned in Edinburgh, they can be banned anywhere.
Thank you to the Councillors who supported this ban and the hard work of the council officials in making this a reality. I am looking forward to walking around Edinburgh after the ban has been implemented, and enjoying the freedom of knowing that I won’t crash into any on-street advertising on my travels.
* Sandra Wilson is chair of RNIB Scotland.
