That:

1.    the Director of Pride in Place is requested to determine where Torbay Councils planning and transport policy conflicts with the principles of Inclusive Street Design and associated Government Guidance and where instructions to Town Planners may be improved as a result.

2.    The Cabinet Member for Pride in Place, Culture & Events and Parking write to the Head of Highways highlighting the content of Notice of Motion and request the issues in relation to highways be considered.

To respond to the Motion in respect of inclusive street design.

None.

This decision will come into force and may be implemented on 18 December 2023 unless the call-in procedure is triggered (as set out in Standing Orders in relation to Overview and Scrutiny).

The Cabinet considered the following motion in relation to inclusive street design notice of which was given in accordance with Standing Order A14:

Blind and partially sighted people are struggling to walk safely on the streets of the UK. Recent figures from the RNIB show:

·         99 per cent of blind and partially sighted people said that pedestrian crossings are important to them for making walking journeys

·         95 per cent of blind and partially sighted people have collided with an obstacle in their local neighbourhood over a three month period

·         78 per cent said they would avoid a shared route with bikes

·         78 per cent said walking journeys were their only, or main, form of outdoor physical exercise.

We believe that action must be taken to reverse this trend; and that it is Torbay Council’s responsibility to take this action as part of their responsibility for highways and public spaces.

We further note that consultation processes generally make it difficult or impossible for blind and partially sighted people and organisations representing them to respond sufficiently each time, particularly in respect of place-based changes.

Rather than attempting to address the inaccessibility of place-based design through repetitive consultations which likely fail to capture all the knowledge and experience desired, the Key Principles of Inclusive Street Design should be adopted to ensure smooth delivery of street designs that work for all residents.

The Cabinet are requested to instruct the Director of Pride in Place to:

Determine where Torbay Councils planning and transport policy conflicts with the principles of Inclusive Street Design and associated Government Guidance and where instructions to Town Planners may be improved as a result.

At the meeting Councillor Billings proposed and Councillor David Thomas seconded a motion that was agreed unanimously, as set out above.

None.