Feedback on Christchurch City Council's 'Share an Idea'

Christchurch City Council invited interested parties to "share an idea" on the redevelopment of the central city, as part of the Central City Plan. The RNZFB's "idea" was for the central city area to be a world-class example of urban design that is accessible for everyone, including blind and partially sighted people. Specific feedback was provided on accessible urban design and working with the disability community.

Introduction

This is the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind’s feedback on the "share an idea" consultation towards the Christchurch City Council's Central City Plan. The RNZFB welcomes the opportunity to share an idea with Christchurch City Council.

Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind

The Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind (the RNZFB) is New Zealand’s main provider of sight loss services to blind and partially sighted people. The RNZFB's vision is empowering and supporting blind and partially sighted New Zealanders to ensure that they have the same opportunities and choices as everyone else.

The RNZFB has around 1,500 registered members in the Canterbury region, and more than 11,500 members across the country who may visit Christchurch at different times.

Our idea

The RNZFB's idea is for the central city area to be a world-class example of urban design that is accessible for everyone, including blind and partially sighted people.

Ensuring that the built environment is accessible means designing buildings, roads, transportation and other indoor and outdoor facilities to consider the needs of people with physical or sensory impairments - removing barriers which might otherwise prevent people from doing business, getting an education or participating fully in their community.

New Zealand has legislative requirements for accessible buildings, and has ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which commits the Government to ensuring that disabled people can access the physical environment on an equal basis with others. Despite this, disabled people still experience unnecessary barriers in accessing New Zealand's physical environment.

Accessibility is easier and cheaper to implement when it is considered as part of the design, from the beginning of a construction project. Though new buildings in New Zealand are generally required to be accessible, the costs of altering existing structures often prevent them from being modified so that they can be used by people with mobility limitations.

Aside from simply adhering to standards and legislation, designing an accessible Christchurch would be an opportunity for architects and designers to consider and implement accessibility in innovative and beautiful ways.

Specific considerations include:

  • Pedestrian space should be designed to include the needs of blind and partially sighted people. There should be unhindered prioritised pedestrian space for moving throughout the area and to and from transportation links. The continuous accessible path of travel should be of sufficient width and adjacent to the buildings. Furniture should not be sited within the continuous accessible path of travel.
  • Road crossings should be prioritised for pedestrians, not vehicles, and well designed for ease of use and maximising safety (refer to Pedestrian Planning and Design Guide, Land Transport NZ, 2007).
  • Entrances to buildings should be easily located and able to be used independently.
  • Signage should be clear and informative, and be provided in formats that can be understood and accessed by everyone. The RNZFB's Accessible signage guidelines provide specific guidance on signage design: http://www.rnzfb.org.nz/about/business-services/environmental-design-advisory/accessible-signage
  • Providing reliable, accessible public transport options is vital for blind and partially sighted people, who often rely on public transport to get around as they can not drive. Interchanges for buses need to be simple and accessible. For those who are unable to read the bus signs or move quickly between parked buses, dedicated stops are essential to ensure the right bus is boarded.
  • Car parking within the CBD should be prioritised for those who have mobility parking needs.
  • Ground surfaces should be even, non slip and made of non reflective finishings. Tactile ground surface indicators (TGSIs) should be installed in line with the NZ Transport Agency's RTS 14: Guidelines for facilities for blind and vision-impaired pedestrians and AS/NZ Standard 1428.4: Design for access and mobility, with appropriate colour contrast. Well designed streets will reduce the number of TGSIs required.
  • Building entrances and street furniture should have a good colour contrast to their immediate background so they can be visually detected by those who have reduced vision.
  • Street lighting needs to be installed that does not create shadows or glare and is of sufficient illuminance at ground level for all pedestrians.
  • Stairs should be designed according to NZ Standard 4121 Design for Access and Mobility – Buildings and Associated Facilities, 2001. Isolated steps should be avoided.
  • Any information provided to residents, businesses and visitors relating to the central city, particularly about changes being considered or implemented, should be available in a range of formats that can be accessed by people who cannot read regular print. This may include braille, audio, large print or accessible electronic formats.

Partnership

The RNZFB recommends that Christchurch City Council partner with the disabled community in developing its plans for the central city, to ensure a wide range of perspectives are included.

The Be Accessible initiative, officially launched in May 2011 by Disability Issues Minister Tariana Turia, aims to improve the accessibility of New Zealand's built environment, create better access to information, support the inclusion of disabled people in employment and community life and change attitudes and behaviours in society. The Be.Institute has begun working  with Christchurch businesses to raise awareness and transform attitudes about disability. The RNZFB suggests that Christchurch City Council investigate options for partnering with the Be.Institute in developing a more accessible Christchurch.

The RNZFB would be pleased to assist with further advice on design of the central city so that it is a world-class example of accessible design for blind and partially sighted people. The RNZFB could also assist in helping Christchurch City Council share information and engage with blind and partially sighted residents of Christchurch.

Further information

The Foundation would welcome opportunities to provide more information if required. Please direct any questions to:

Moira Clunie
Insights, Policy & Advocacy Manager
Telephone: +64 9 355 6938
Email: mclunie@rnzfb.org.nz

Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind
Private Bag 99941
Newmarket
Auckland