Photo: City-of-Sydney
New signs to make Sydney’s streets more accessible to the visually impaired
14 July 2014
by Richard Forster
The most extensive network of pedestrian braille signs in Australia will soon be rolled-out, linking the entire City of Sydney through prominent, interactive and easy-to-follow signs and messages.
The roll out of the new-look signs follows a trial at Circular Quay, where elements such as text, font size, colours, legibility and layout were tested. As part of the first stage of the project, some 38 prototypes of the new tactile signs will be installed along one of the city’s busy pedestrian routes in the city centre.
“Being able to get around safely and with confidence is really important,” said Michael Simpson, Vision Australia’s General Manager of client services in New South Wales. “The proposed signs will improve access for thousands of Sydneysiders and visitors to our beautiful city who, like me, are blind or have low vision.”
Results of the first stage will be used to refine the design before the full roll-out of an estimated 2,000 signs at all signalised pedestrian crossings across the City of Sydney’s 26 square kilometre local government area.
Vision Australia and Guide Dogs NSW/ACT were consulted during the design phase to create suitable tactile elements, while the city’s own access and disability panel also reviewed the designs.
“Braille and tactile signage is a valuable tool for reassuring people with vision loss that they are heading in the right direction to their destination, and complements the assistance they may get from a long cane or a guide dog,” said Jennifer Moon, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT Community Education Coordinator. “We congratulate the City of Sydney on taking the initiative to ensure people with vision impairment can more easily and safely navigate the city.”
The new tactile signs will feature white lettering and braille on an aluminium mounting plate. They will be placed next to pedestrian crossing push buttons, providing the street name and property numbers in large font, raised contrast lettering and braille. This will allow touch reading by people who are blind, as well as reading at close range by those with low vision.
While the new signs are specifically to help people who are blind and vision impaired, it will also make street location information easier to access for all pedestrians.
