BirminghamLive – the online sister title to the Birmingham Mail – has highlighted the potential danger of new 12-inch high kerbs on Broad Street.
The new pavement edges installed by the Midland Metro Alliance are designed to enable families with pushchairs and people with disabilities to enjoy easy access to and from the extended tram services.
But in a special report by BirminghamLive reporter Graham Young, leading shared spaces safety campaigner Sarah Gayton said the presence of 12-inch kerbs so close to pubs and bars was “potentially asking for trouble when people have been drinking.”
And her concerns were echoed by Westside BID general manager Mike Olley who said that while Broad Street was now looking “very smart”, the 12-inch kerbs “could be a danger to pedestrians” stepping off them.
Mr Olley said: “The height of the kerb means the pavement will be flush with trams when they arrive to make them very easy to get on and off.
“You could say they will be one small step for ‘tramkind’ when boarding or alighting, but a potentially giant leap for anyone who doesn’t realise how deep the step down to the road is at other times.
“It will have all been properly approved, but there is still a slight concern people will need to get used to them.
“Hopefully everyone will be perfectly safe when they just come out to enjoy themselves in our re-emerging great district and the trams will be a hugely popular part of what we can offer.”
Trams up Broad Street are scheduled to be in operation before Christmas once the extension from Centenary Square to 54 Hagley Road by Morrisons’ superstore is completed.
Ms Gayton, a shared spaces safety campaigner for the National Federation of the Blind of the UK, told BirminghamLive: “The tactile pavement and guide dog would help a blind or partially sighted person to avoid it.
“But I’ve been out at night investigating various spaces in terms of e-scooter users riding around. I’ve seen people who’ve had a drink in Birmingham city centre not having a clue what they are doing.
“When people have had a drink in a busy area there can be lots of excitement and lads pushing each other. So 12 inches is a significant drop in a potentially hazardous location.”
A spokesperson for the Midland Metro Alliance told BirminghamLive: “All of the tram stops for the Birmingham Westside Metro extension include clearly defined crossing points at each end where the paving is lowered to the road level.
“The tram stop locations selected as part of the project are based on areas that will most benefit all user groups allowing ease of access from desired locations on to the Metro network and therefore around Birmingham city centre.
“The coping stones have been designed to have a 300mm upstand (11.8 inches) in order that it aligns with the height of the tram car doors.
“Should the paving be lower it would make it difficult for mobility-impaired users to exit and enter the tram when at the platform.
“The colour of the paving stones provides a contrast to the road surface and surrounding environment and, to further add clear separation to the road, a yellow coloured insert is added at the front of the paving stones to allow passengers and members of the public to recognise when they are near the edge.
“Hazard tactile paving has also been installed on the footpaths at the extents of the tram stop in order to raise awareness to those with reduced mobility, the partially sighted and general public that they are entering a tram stop area and that site conditions have changed to a standard footway.
“Furthermore, the tram stops include defined accessible boarding points with the international symbol of access inlaid into the tram stop paving.
“The Midland Metro Alliance consulted with local accessibility groups regarding the proposals, which resulted in the development and inclusion of additional tactile paving around the international symbol of access to improve accessibility for less abled users.”
The Midland Metro Alliance spokesperson added: “Lozenge-style tactile paving has been used in order to allow pedestrians to identify that they are near the platform edge. The lozenge shapes are 6mm high and have rounded edges for safety purposes.”
The full BirminghamLive report can be read here: https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/broad-streets-new-high-kerbs-21225713
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