Hammersmith and Fulham Council team experiences street obstacles first-hand
London Sight Loss Councils (SLCs) has partnered with Hammersmith and Fulham Council’s (HFC) Transport and Planning Team to take staff on a guided walk around the local area. The aim was to highlight the ongoing issue of pavement obstacles, such as street cafes, uneven pavements and bollards for blind and partially sighted (BPS) pedestrians.
The move followed HFC seeing London Sight Loss Council on national television about a recent walk with Wandsworth Council to raise awareness and influence positive change. HFC has shared it has a keen commitment to inclusivity and has an Inclusive Environment Disabled Residents Team. It is made up of local disabled residents who discuss accessibility concerns and improvements in the area.
At the end of the walk, HFC staff shared some great ideas about how to include vision impairment awareness in planning approvals and communications with residents.
During the walk, HFC staff wore spectacles (sim-specs) that simulate various sight conditions. These include Cataracts and Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), which some residents have.
Theo and Amric on the Hammersmith and Fulham ‘Sim-Spec’ walk
During the walk, SLC members shared their own experiences. This included emphasising street obstacles that often go undetected by long-cane or guide-dog users because they are at waist-height and above. Examples include obstructive pavement parking, overgrown foliage and bollards causing obstructions for BPS pedestrians and the wider community.
Bikes cover a large portion of a path during the walk, making it difficult to manoeuvre and navigate
Emmanuel, North London SLC member, said:
“Each time I take part in these walks, I realise more and more that people genuinely don’t recognise the obstacles and barriers blind and partially sighted individuals face when navigating footpaths and pavements.
“Often, after hearing our stories or experiencing the sim-spec walk themselves, they’re surprised – and sometimes even a bit embarrassed – by how unaware they were.”
North London SLC members Paul and Emmanuel on the Sim-Spec walk
Paul, North London SLC member, added:
“The Hammersmith and Fulham Council sim-spec walk gave participants a real insight into the experience of living with vision impairment. When I guided one of them, he told me he could only see into the distance and couldn’t make out anything around him. I was guiding on his right side, and I noticed his left hand kept reaching out, trying to detect any nearby obstacles.
“During the wrap-up, the group shared some great ideas for how to include vision impairment awareness in planning approvals and communications with residents.”
What did HFC Council learn from the sim-spec walk?
Gareth, Senior Transport Planner, Development Management:
“As built environment professionals, we have the unique opportunity to help shape the spaces around us in a positive and inclusive way. The sim spec workshop has reinforced to me just how important it is to take the views and needs of visually impaired people on board in the process of doing this.
“I believe this workshop should be an essential piece of training and education for all those who work within planning and designing the built environment.”
Members of the Planning and Development team on the walk
Noor, LBHF Transport Project Officer Apprentice:
“The walk was a powerful reminder that accessibility isn’t just a checklist. It’s about empathy and understanding. Seeing the built environment through someone else’s eyes really brought home the importance of inclusive design.”
Liam, Volunteer Coordinator for London SLCs, said:
“Before the Sim-Spec Walk had even begun, the journey from the tube station to the meeting venue gave an emphatic reminder of how dangerous a place a public footway can be. It is crucial for long-cane users to concentrate at all times to detect obstacles to avoid collisions. However, there is no way to detect hazards that occur above waist height.
“In a matter of minutes, we encountered two delivery vehicles whose rear doors stretched across the footway, and in both cases, a long cane would have had no way of detecting the danger.”
Liam is trying to navigate his way around the obstruction of a lorry’s doors that are extended over the path
Nicki, Senior Engagement Manager (South), finalized by saying:
“It was great to host a Sim-Spec Walk with Hammersmith and Fulham Council’s Transport and Planning team. These sessions offer a powerful opportunity to step into the shoes of blind and partially sighted people, and experience the barriers faced when navigating our streets – from uneven surfaces to unexpected obstructions, of which we encountered a few!
“We’re encouraged by the council’s engagement and look forward to continuing our work together to make public spaces safer and more accessible for everyone.”
Not only did the Sim-Spec Walk allow staff to step into the shoes of BPS people. Importantly, it also acted as a powerful reminder that many of these barriers had not been considered beforehand.
London SLCs would like to thank Hammersmith and Fulham Council and are encouraged by the council’s engagement.
We look forward to continuing our work together to make public spaces safer and more accessible for everyone.
Publication date: 13 August 2025