City of Sydney Council is one of the first local government councils to install the braille and tactile street signs, helping people who are blind or have low vision to navigate around the Sydney CBD.
The braille and tactile signs have been installed at signalised pedestrian crossings within the city, next to the push button detailing the street name or building number.
The installation of the braille and tactile signs is part of the council's new accessible way finding system that also includes pedestrian-friendly maps, information pylons, signs and digital technology. The council has been assisted by Guide Dogs NSW/ACT and Vision Australia in the implementation of the braille & tactile signs.
The braille and tactile signs provide clear and consistent information that helps improve access for many people who have a vision impairment or who may be blind.
According to Guide Dogs NSW/ACT, they estimate that there are around 100,000 people with uncorrectable vision loss in NSW, and that number is predicted to increase by more than 20 per cent by 2020.
