High Peak Access Group, Buxton Visually Impaired Group and Derbyshire County Council have worked together to get bollards put in outside Sainsbury's on Buxton Market Place, to prevent drivers parking across and blocking the tactile paving crossing point at the entrance.

For most people, coming out of a shop and crossing the road outside is easy. But not for Lizzy Martin and Sue Walker, who are visually impaired, with their Guide Dogs, Pixie and Benson. Getting out of Sainsbury’s in the market square, Buxton had become an obstacle course due to thoughtless drivers parking across the tactile paving that they use to guide them to cross the road. 

High Peak Access Group, Buxton Visually Impaired Group and Derbyshire County Council have worked together to get Bollards put in, to prevent drivers parking across the entrance to Sainsbury’s.  

The new Bollards also help Lizzy and Sue along with their Guide Dogs, use the Tactile paving on their way to and from the Volunteer Centre where they are volunteers.  Before the Bollards were installed, the Tactile paving was continually being obstructed by vehicles parking across the paving.

Tactile paving is a detectable warning sign to assist Blind and Visually Impaired pedestrians and their Guide Dogs are taught to recognise it. 

Sue Walker said "It makes such a difference to be able to walk over the tactile paving without it being blocked by a car or van, which confuses my dog and makes it more difficult to get across the road and get to the Volunteer Centre.  Benson is now getting used to using the paving again now that it is clear.”  

 A small group from both High Peak Access, and the Visually Impaired Group had been working hard over the past six months with Wayne Bexton, Derbyshire County Council, and the resulting team work produced a successful joint working partnership - proving that we are all working for the benefit of our community.   

Sainsbury's entrance before and after bollards put in at kerb.