Submission to Tasman District Council on the draft Long Term Council Community Plan
Summary
This brief written submission requested that the Council include its response to the Total Mobility Scheme in the Plan and commented on other physical accessibility issues.
Full text of submission
Tasman District Council draft Long Term Council Community Plan: A submission from the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind
The Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind (the Foundation) is a disability support service constituted under the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind Act 2002. It is the primary provider of habilitation and rehabilitation services to over 11,500 blind, vision-impaired and deafblind New Zealanders
Our vision is that blind and vision-impaired people have the same opportunities and choices as other citizens to participate fully in society. Our mission is to remove the barriers faced by blind or vision-impaired individuals and to promote their participation in all aspects of life. Services we provide include specialist assessments, orientation and mobility training for adults and children, communication and adaptive technology instruction, guide dog services, talking book and braille library services, instruction in the techniques of daily living, and vocational services. We operate services specific to the needs of Māori and of Pacific communities. We provide advice and training on access and disability issues.
We note that the Tasman District Council anticipates effects of an aging population. One of the effects of aging is an increased incidence of blindness, deafblindness and vision-impairment. It is possible to maintain the independence of these people in the community subject to a number of factors. These include access to health services, including those provided by the Foundation, and by factors like the design and quality of the built environment.
Enhancements that improve the environment for the vision-impaired also have the potential to improve the safety of the environment for other users and can support increased levels of physical activity such as walking to school/work, and hence general well-being and health. The Foundation recommends that consideration be given to the sufficiency and adequacy of pedestrian crossings, clear walk-ways and lighting features that enhance safety for all users, including the blind and vision-impaired, when planning walk- and cycle- ways in the Tasman District.
Effective and accessible public transport networks similarly improve the mobility of blind and vision-impaired individuals and may also encourage other users to leave their cars and hence attempt at least some of their journey to school or work on foot. One of the strategies to improve the accessibility of blind, deafblind and vision-impaired people is through the Total Mobility Scheme.
We note that central government funding to the scheme was recently increased by nearly $9.5 million. The Foundation would like to see the Tasman District Council’s response to this central government initiative expressed in the Long Term Council Community Plan. While we appreciate that the Council may have some difficulties implementing an effective Total Mobility Scheme, the Long Term Council Community Plan is the Council’s statement of intent for the next ten years. Actions in this period also have effects beyond this time-frame. As such, given the aging population, likely increases in blindness and vision-impairment, the Foundation strongly urges the Tasman District Council to set out its plan for the Total Mobility Scheme over this and the coming decade within the Long Term Council Community Plan. We also recommend that monitoring and audit activity relating to accessibility is built into the Plan.
The Foundation requests that its comments and recommendations are considered by Council and that the Foundation has an opportunity to speak to this submission.
Paula Daye
Chief Executive