The Centre for Accessible Environments’ Access Panel has advised Southwark Council’s Streets for People strategy, helping to improve the accessibility of the built environment for disabled people in the London borough of Southwark.
Southwark Council’s Streets for People strategy aims to make its streetscapes more inclusive for everyone, with more accessible pavements, less traffic and more green spaces.
CAE’s Access Panel reviewed and provided feedback on designs for several streetscape projects in the London borough of Southwark, which were presented by Southwark Council’s Highways teams. The panel advised on:
- road junction layouts, crossing times, and accessible parking in Dulwich Village.
- footway and cycleway widths and levels, continuous footways and raised tables, and pedestrian crossings at Goose Green, a public park in East Dulwich.
- segregated cycle lanes, bus gates, changes to junctions, wider footways, cycle routes, and bus priority schemes and streetscapes at Great Suffolk Street and a gyratory system in Peckham Rye, which is a more complex form of roundabout.
Positive change
Josh Kerry, Southwark Council’s Project Manager for Highways, said: “The Access Panel’s input helped us to understand the impact of our planned works and the ways we can make them more accessible for all.
“The format was friendly and encouraged debate between everyone, including council officers and the design team.”
The panel
CAE’s Access Panel is formed of inclusive design consultants and disabled individuals who provide real-life experience of disability and technical knowledge to consult on a range of projects, both in physical and digital spaces. It can advise any organisation on any type of inclusive design or access project.
The panel offer a comprehensive, collaborative and insightful approach to access and inclusion, helping projects get a better understanding of the needs of the disabled community but also on how practical changes can help all users.
Panel member Katy said: “We can help with any project, whether it’s a physical environment, such as a public park, a new development, or building wayfinding; a digital environment, such as website and app user-friendliness; or finding out what customer service and support is available and how user-friendly it is.”
Platform for disabled voices
By embedding lived experience into its consultancy work, CAE ensures that accessibility is shaped not only by standards and policies, but by the realities of daily life for disabled people.
The Access Panel offers a platform for disabled voices to be heard and to influence the spaces and services they use every day.
Shaun, a panel member, said: “Many organisations don’t have their own accessibility panels, but they require information and advice on best practice guidelines on digital and physical accessibility.
“CAE’s Access Panel has the benefit of being available often at short notice, is already in existence, is efficient, effective and value for money.”
If you’re interested in presenting your project to the Access Panel for advice, please email info@cae.org.uk including a brief outline of your project.