YOUR report (K&C News June 25) on the blind protesters at City Hall campaigning against the shared space scheme for Exhibition Road carried a reference to Councillor Andrew Lamont.
He is a recently registered partially-sighted member of the borough council and has been appointed by the council as the 'disability champion' for the Exhibition Road scheme.
In the true spirit of wanting to listen to the views of disabled people Mr Lamont led a one-man counter-demonstration against the many disability groups gathered outside City Hall on June 17.
If the council wants to meet the needs of disabled people, including blind and partially sighted people, they should implement the clear recommendations given to them by the Access Group, by putting the kerbs and crossings back in the plan, rather than spending time trying to disrupt other groups legitimate protest, based on real concerns over safety and exclusion on a single surface street.
To state the obvious, blind and partially-sighted people cannot safely share a space with vehicles they cannot see - and then negotiate priority through eye contact.
Manchester is the latest city, along with Belfast and Londonderry, among others, to reject shared-surface streets, as they recognise the dangers and risks that they present on safety grounds to disabled people.
We hope that Kensington and Chelsea will listen to the needs of disabled people and their own Access Group, and put kerbs and pedestrian crossings back in the plans.
Dr Gordon Taylor Chairman West London Residents
Association David Cowdrey Guide Dogs for the Blind.
