§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Transport, in view of the problems suffered by disabled persons with their invalid chairs getting up and down pavement kerbstones, whether he will now advise all local authorities to arrange for these kerbs to contain runways to and from the roads at frequent intervals.
§ Mrs. ChalkerSection 1 of the Disabled Persons Act 1981 requires local authorities to
have regard to the needs of disabled persons when considering the desirability of providing ramps at appropriate places between carriageways and footways".My Department hopes shortly to issue advice to local authorities on how best to meet this requirement. Ramps are of great benefit to wheelchair users but they can, in some cases, create a hazard for blind pedestrians who need an indication of where the pavement ends and the road begins. In framing its advice, my Department is consulting closely people who have direct experience of the problems of wheelchair users and blind pedestrians.