We are delighted by the success of RNIB campaign Volunteer Mohammed Mohsan Ali who has won a legal case against his local authority. Way back in April 2009 we were alerted to plans by the London Borough of Newham to deviate substantially from Government guidance on the positioning and colour of tactile paving at crossings. Newham introduced a number of pilot sites where they had reduced the amount of paving and also changed its colour from the very recognisable reddish hue to grey.
These changes were challenged by Mohammed as well as the council's deviation from Government guidance; it clearly made his and other blind and partially sighted people's lives so much more difficult. The case finally reached the High Court on 19 October 2012 where after a full day of discussion the Judge said he would take time to deliver his judgment as it has implications for other authorities.
The Ruling has now been made and it represents a huge victory for Mohammed but also for blind and partially sighted people in other areas as authorities will no longer be able to deviate from guidance without providing a very good reason for doing so, frankly it is hard to think of what this good reason could be.