Tactile surfaces are special footway surfaces designed to provide visually impaired pedestrians with information regarding their immediate environment. The research described in this report was conducted to establish how effective the tactile markings researched in an earlier study (see IRRD 841863) were in a real pedestrian environment. The surfaces tested comprised: (1) rubber dot tile; (2) modified DTp blistered paving; (3) concrete corduroy pattern paving slab; (4) 18mm latex compound; and (5) concrete bar pattern paving slab. The research which began in April 1990, fell into three main parts. The first part comprised a series of consultative meetings with representatives from Wolverhampton Metropolitan Borough Council, CENTRO West Midlands, British Rail, Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL), the Department of Transport (DTp), and manufacturers of surfaces to view various sites and discuss layouts. The second part of the study consisted of a series of experiments to evaluate the surfaces with participation from a group of visually impaired, ambulant disabled, and wheelchair users. The third part of the research was a study to establish the public's views of the tactile surfaces.
Abstract