Two studies were commissioned by the Department of Transport to determine whether and which tactile surface was needed to warn visually impaired people of their proximity to the edge of a platform. Cranfield University compared the performance of a lozenge with the heavy rail blister surface at both a LRT/heavy rail interchange and at an LRT platform. It was found that both surfaces are detectable and that an additional surface is also needed to warn people they are walking on to an on-street platform. TRL investigated the lozenge surface at a heavy rail station where most of the forty eight participants could detect this surface at a variety of approach angles. However, it was found that some participants thought the surface needed modifying to make it more detectable. It is recommended therefore that the lozenge surface be limited to installations at LRT on-street platforms together with the corduroy `proceed with caution' surface, and that the heavy rail blister surface should be used on heavy rail platforms and on LRT platforms inside stations in keeping with current practice in other countries. (A)
Abstract