Manchester square revamp has made it unsafe, blind campaigner says

The redesign of a city square has made it unsafe for people with limited sight, a blind campaigner had said.

Dave Steele, from Prestwich, said Stevenson Square in Manchester was now filled with hazards.

The 48-year-old said obstacles such as concrete blocks meant it was no longer "a safe place for people like me".

Manchester City Council said it wanted the square to be "inclusive" and "accessible", but the new scheme was not yet "fully signed off".

The redevelopment, which was finished in 2023, was prompted by calls from local residents and businesses to make the square pedestrianised.

Mr Steele, who is registered blind and campaigns for sight loss charity Henshaws, told BBC Radio Manchester there were several issues with the way the square in the city's Norther Quarter had now been laid out.

He said the traffic lights at a crossing did not have rotating cones, which spin to indicate when it is safe to cross, and the use of tactile paving made it hard to know "where the pedestrian area begins and ends".

"Conditions like low vision and blindness can be very isolating, so when you have new places popping up that are inaccessible, it just makes it even more isolating," he said.

He said his family loved going to the square, but with "busy crowds and darkness", it had become "virtually impossible" for him to navigate.

Manchester City Council said it was committed "to ensuring all public spaces are inclusive and are accessible to anyone who would wish to use them".

A representative said the council also met with the Highways Access Group "on multiple occasions to ensure that feedback on accessibility could be incorporated into the final design".

"As with any major infrastructure works, there will be a period where any identified issues with the final design and finish can be rectified before it is fully signed off," they added.

"This process is currently under way and the council is grateful for the public's understanding during this final stage."

Transport for Greater Manchester, which has responsibility for road crossings, said the lights in the square were "fully compliant" with government standards, but asked anyone with concerns to get in touch.

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