A type of advertising sign in Sheffield has been condemned as dangerous for visually impaired people. Sheffield resident Graham Marshall told Sheffield City Council that the flat boards mounted on a narrow base, often located in the middle of the pavement, were difficult for cane or guide dog users to detect.
The council has since stopped using that style of sign, which are manufactured by advertising firm JCDeceux, but more than 300 remain on the city’s streets.
Mr Marshall said: ‘Anybody who is visually impaired and uses a long cane to navigate would walk straight into one of these signs, and that’s exactly what’s happened.’ Another resident, Trina Brown, said her guide dog passed by the narrow part of the signs causing her to hit her shoulder on the upper part.
Colin Ross of the city council said only advertising boards of a uniform width were now used. However, he said that JCDeceux were responsible for replacing the old signs.
