Transport for London (TfL) has worked with Olympic rowing champion, Captain Pete Reed OBE to introduce green wheelchair user traffic signals to represent disabled people ahead of International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
From Friday 1st December, Londoners and visitors to the capital have been able to see the specially designed wheelchair user symbols at pedestrian crossings in Earl’s Court, King’s Cross, Liverpool Street, Tower Hill and Whitechapel thanks to Yunex Traffic who installed the signals at no cost.
The locations for the new wheelchair user traffic signals have been carefully selected based on their proximity to busy Tube stations, which offer step-free access.
The idea behind the wheelchair user traffic signals
The new symbols were inspired by three-time Olympian gold medal-winning rower Captain Pete Reed OBE, who in 2019, experienced a spinal stroke, which left him paralysed from his chest down.
Captain Pete Reed approached TfL with his idea of a wheelchair user traffic signal because he wanted to draw attention to the large disabled population in London and beyond, for whom access and ease of travel are essential to make the most of the city, as well as ensuring that traffic signals are representative of disabled people in a diverse and inclusive global city.
Captain Pete Reed OBE, said: “As an Olympic athlete and naval officer, I spent my early adult life at the peak of human fitness. In 2019, in one day everything changed for me. My life now as a full-time wheelchair user has a whole range of new demands, which can be dramatically helped by better access and transport for wheelchair users, just as there should also be for the wider disabled community.
“I’m so delighted that the Mayor of London and TfL listened with open ears when I proposed these new wheelchair user traffic signals. What are only five traffic lights to one Londoner representing progress, positivity and possibility to another? The disabled community can and do offer so much value to all parts of society – I hope this visibility in mainstream life makes more people feel comfortable about getting out in the city and raising their voices where they see an opportunity for positive change and collaboration.”
The new wheelchair user traffic signals will replace the green man symbol at the five locations and TfL worked closely with its Independent Disability Advisory Group (IDAG) and other key disability campaigners to ensure that the signs best reflect wheelchair users. There are two designs showing a person using an independently controlled manual wheelchair and a person using an electric wheelchair.
Alan Benson, Co-Chair of Trustees for Transport for All, said: “It’s really important to have disabled people represented in the signs and symbols of society. But these signals aren’t mere window dressing. They are a visual representation of TfL’s efforts to make London’s streets more accessible.”
The reimagined symbols improve the visibility of disabled people on London’s streets and have been created in line with the safety features of the green man figure, ensuring pedestrians relying on the green signal to cross the road can still recognise the cue indicating it is safe to do so.
TfL has engaged with safety experts to minimise any confusion to pedestrians using the crossings and has completed a thorough risk assessment and secured technical approvals for the wheelchair user signals. Other traffic signals at the five crossings including the red stop lights for pedestrians remain unchanged.
Wilke Reints, Managing Director of Yunex Traffic in the UK, said: “Equality, diversity and inclusion are hugely important in our business and so we are delighted to have been able to support International Day of Persons with Disabilities in such a special way.
“We work in close partnership with TfL to provide and maintain a range of traffic signal and control solutions across the city and were pleased to be able to work together to support this year’s event in this unique and memorable way.”
Other accessible services by TfL
TfL is also looking at how to make pedestrian crossings more accessible and is currently running a trial at the temporary crossings at Manor Circus, which involves a remote-control button via a mobile app or separate handheld Bluetooth wireless device. This has been developed for people unable to use the push-button on crossings, allowing them to remotely call the pedestrian crossing and safely cross the road.
Furthermore, TfL is working hard with all London councils to make pavements more accessible for disabled people by helping to remove clutter from streets such as retail signage, as well as working closely with dockless bike and e-scooter companies to ensure they are parked correctly.
On the Tube and rail network, TfL has recently announced the next ten stations to be prioritised for step-free access. Trains on the Central line, one of the busiest lines on the Tube, are also undergoing extensive overhaul work and will feature dedicated wheelchair spaces, better lighting and new grab poles. Following a successful, trial mini-ramps will be introduced early next year at step-free access Underground stations where there is a small gap between the train and platform.
TfL and Google are also collaborating to provide Google Street View within thirty Tube stations across London, which is hoped will be particularly helpful for customers with accessibility needs in planning their journeys. The images will be launched throughout 2024, allowing customers to get a better sense of the layout of the stations when planning journeys or interchanging between different Tube lines at stations, as well as identify key facilities such as toilets, lifts and help points.
TfL has updated the Electronic Service Update Boards to make information about lift services easier to understand and to reduce the time for the board to display the relevant information. A self-reporting lifts project is also underway to enable automatic updates regarding when lifts are in and out of service and customers will see this updated on TfL’s journey planner, the TfL Go app, third-party navigation apps as well as in stations.
International Day of Persons with Disabilities
The new wheelchair user traffic signals were introduced ahead of International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) on Sunday 3rd December.
IDPD was proclaimed in 1992, by the United Nations General Assembly resolution 47/3. The observance of the Day aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.
The theme of the 2023 International Day of Persons with Disabilities is “United in action to rescue and achieve the SDGs for, with and by persons with disabilities“.
How will you be celebrating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities? Or do you find this day to be pointless and feel disabled people should be celebrated all year round? Let us know in the comments box or on social media.
