Currently there are two different documents in circulation regarding the use of tactile guidance paving. They both share some similarities but differ quite substantially in terms of how they’re applied. The two bodies that have published these documents are Network Rail and the Department for Transport.
The documents in question are:
Network Rail – Tactile Paving and Wayfinding NR/GN/CIV/300/06 Design Manual – published June 2024
Department for Transport – Guidance on the Use of Tactile Paving Surfaces – Latest Edition December 2021
Tactile guidance paving is a method of tactile installation through which the visually impaired can be led to a common destination. Guidance paths can be laid out using independent tactile strips or tiles.
The components of tactile guidance paving differ depending on the guidance being applied. The common element between the two are tactile guidance strips which measure 380mm (L) x 35mm (W) x 5mm (H). The strips are applied in groups of five laid out laterally within a 400mm x 400mm boundary.
The Department for Transports document was created around the general application and use of tactile guidance paving in a public setting, whereas the Network Rail Design Manual is more concerned with use in Network Rail Train Stations. They both share similar principles including things like the actual tiles used and the clearance that needs to be observed. However, they differ somewhat in how they’re applied, and an additional tactile component is used in the Network Rail design manual
The Department for Transport’s version uses two tiles laterally creating an 800mm wide path whereas the Network Rail version uses a single tile for a 400mm wide path. They both have different approaches to changes in direction with the Network Rail guide preffering a 45 degree turn and the DfT preferring a 90 degree turn where possible.
The additional tactile element used by the Network Rail guide is the use of inline blister paving. In line blister paving tiles can be used as single tile (attention tile), at the start, end and at interactive points along the route to signal information about what the visually impaired user should know. For example, at the start of a route it informs them of the route’s beginning, and the same is applied at the end of the route to let them know the route has reached its conclusion. The use of an attention tile at interactive points such as ticketing gates, information points, or lift controls, lets the individual know that they’ve either reached their destination or they need to perform an action to progress.
When combined into a group of four inline blister tiles, they form a decision junction. This informs the visually impaired guidance path user that there are multiple destinations available. This addition means the Network Rail Design Guide has the inherent advantage of being able to offer routes to both primary and secondary destinations, something which the Department for Transports layout struggles to do in a clear and understandable way. Secondary destinations are marked with rotated tiles that face the opposite direction their route is going, this provides contrast to the route allowing the visually impaired user to pick up on that difference and recognise that it’s a secondary destination.
The route of the tactile guidance paving in the Network Rail version can be easily turned into a tactile map to help aid the visually impaired in planning their journey, something which again, the Department for Transport guide doesn’t allow for.
Due to the demands of the DfT document in terms of the size of the area needed for its application, it wasn’t readily or easily applicable to a significant number of rail stations throughout the UK. This is primarily due to space constraints, with many UK railway stations having been constructed at a time where accessibility wasn’t the main concern. This slimming down of the layout by Network Rail has helped to increase the number of locations tactile guidance paving can be applied to. It appears to be an attempt by Network Rail to include tactile guidance paving on site without having to compromise existing guidelines to achieve it.
There’s no correct answer to this question as both are valid and recognised methods of applying tactile guidance routes. A lot of it comes down to whether the space is there for the implementation of the DfT’s version and whether something more complex and substantive is needed.
Although the Network Rail Design Guide is written with railway stations in mind, it can be applied to other locations with fixed primary and secondary destinations. Common sense adaptations to those destinations can see this guide easily implemented in places like schools, doctors’ surgeries, hospitals and other public facilities.
The Network Rail Design Guide has been signed off by the Department for Transport. They will have oversight of it and agreed to its implementation, so it is a government compliant application.
It’s also worth keeping in mind that the Department for Transports version has been out longer and the older generation of the visually impaired may have had more encounters with this layout than they will have with the Network Rail version. Some training or familiarising in the initial use of the Network Rail guidance paving layout could be needed.
If you’re in need of any advice regarding tactile guidance paving layouts or would like further clarification on the subject, please feel free to contact us on 01686 807 450 or email us at [email protected].
