Ban footpath hazards, say blind

Eliminating sandwich boards and other non-permanent ‘‘hazards’’ from footpaths would make Nelson a more accessible and livable city, say representatives of Blind Citizens NZ.

Brian Say and Amanda Stevens told councillors at hearings on the draft urban environments bylaw that sandwich boards and other nonpermanent displays made central city footpaths difficult to navigate for those who were visually impaired.

The council proposed requiring the boards to be moved kerbside and allowing for two metres of clear footpath in the draft bylaw.

Say and Stevens said although the proposal was made with good intentions, the only way to eliminate the hazard was to get rid of sandwich boards and flags completely.

Stevens said Melbourne had eliminated sandwich boards and was ranked one of the most livable cities in the world.

‘‘I want Nelson to be up there,’’ she said.

‘‘I was slapped in the face several months ago while walking down the street. It took me a moment to figure out what had happened, it was a wet flag.’’

Say said it was often those who were visually impaired who had to report hazards to the council, such as sandwich boards being placed in the middle of the footpath, and businesses should be required to follow the regulations.

They told councillors how removing the boards would create a less tense and better quality environment in the CBD when it was busy.

Say commended the council’s planting of trees and installation of chairs and said although they could be an obstacle, their permanence meant they could be prepared for.

In its submission, Blind Citizens NZ asked the council to establish a working group to resolve issues relating to sandwich boards, consider requiring a permit for them, take a firmer approach to compliance, retain the proposed twometre footpath clearance and consider regulating bicycles on footpaths.

The planning and regulatory committee with deliberate on submissions to the bylaw on April 2.