May 7, 2024 – The introduction of floating bus stop platforms has created a nationwide barrier to safe and accessible journeys for people who are blind, Deafblind, or have low vision. In response, TransLink, and the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, published a Design Guide for Bus Stops Adjacent to Cycling Infrastructure on April 15, 2024. Ahead of the release of the report, CNIB acted as a consultant and shared its own study – Cycling Infrastructure and People with Sight Loss – Design Challenges and Opportunities at Transit Stops Across Canada, for research purposes.
While CNIB was initially approached as one of the many consultants during the research phase, the organization was not kept informed throughout the process about the report contents, and whether its recommendations would be incorporated. As a result, CNIB was discouraged to have received the report only after it was published, in an inaccessible PDF format. Some CNIB staff with sight loss have not been able to read the document in its entirety and have yet to receive an accessible version as requested. With this barrier in place, many members of the sight loss community will also be unable to read this important document, which directly relates to their safety and independence, rendering it counterproductive.
As you will have learned in CNIB's study, a significant number of cyclists fail to yield to pedestrians, even when crossings are marked. Within the guidelines report, it is suggested that information and/or treatments should be provided to slow cyclists and to recognize the need to yield to pedestrians, as is legally required. As such, we strongly believe municipalities need to implement controlled crossings or work to find alternative route locations for cyclists, rather than relying entirely on the unwavering compliance of cyclists. At CNIB, our goal is to ensure everyone can get to where they need to go, when they need to go, safely and independently.
While we applaud and encourage your efforts to increase accessibility, and some positive design changes have been made, pedestrians are still expected to cross the bike lanes without crucial safety measures. This means the danger for people with sight loss remains high. People who are blind, Deafblind or have low vision cannot determine when it is safe to cross the bike lane to access the bus stop, as both visual and auditory information is limited when it comes to unmotorized vehicles.
We hope that you will reconsider your guidelines, provide them in an accessible format, and set the precedent to help create barrier-free communities in British Columbia where everyone can live, learn, work, and play together.
About CNIB
Founded in 1918, the CNIB Foundation is a non-profit organization driven to change what it is to be blind today. We deliver innovative programs and powerful advocacy that empower people impacted by blindness to live their dreams and tear down barriers to inclusion.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Courtney Groot
Specialist, Communications and Community Outreach, Western Canada
Courtney.Groot@cnib.ca