Introduction

This brochure is based on previously published materials that deal with improving availability and use of buildings and public transport means for blind and visually impaired people. It shows examples of areas, buildings and vehicles adapted for blind and visually impaired people. These adaptations are intended to improve and enable independent travel and orientation of those of us who are partially sighted or blind.

Removing barriers for handicapped people in the Czech Republic forms a part of "Nationwide plan of broadening vocational opportunities for handicapped people". This material represents the plan of the czech government in this sphere.

The photographs of buildings, adaptations of buildings and vehicles are completed with catalogue sheets of products that are used in the Czech Republic to improve access to buildings and vehicles for blind and visually impaired people.

In the Czech Republic one can commonly see the following adaptations of buildings and vehicles for blind and visually impaired people:

• signal and warning strips on the pavement at crosswalks
• signal strips at indicators of stops of public transport vehicles
• acoustic signalling for pedestrians at crosswalks including divided crosswalks
• adaptations of publicity stands, telephone boxes, and other objects
• artificial guiding lines in interiors, especially inside public transport buildings
• colour contrasted marking of staircase steps in public transport buildings
• colour contrasted marking the entrance to escalators
• acoustic orientation beacons with signals
• acoustic orientation and information beacons with spoken phrases
• remonte-controlled acoustic information beacons that indicate a working escalator
• acoustic information stands in the most important public transport buildings
• acoustic information beacons in buildings remotely controlled by blind people
• audible exterior information regarding the line and terminal station of city buses
• audible exterior information regarding the line and terminal station of trams
• audible signalling of the entry of a blind person into a tram or bus
• remotely controlled opening the doors that other passengers control by buttons
• audible information inside public transport vehicles remote-controlled by blind people

There are manufacturers enough to supply the above-mentioned adaptations.

Still increasing extent and quality of measures improving accessibility of buildings and public transport means for blind and visually impaired people is given by constant cooperation of the Czech Blind United with the governmental commission for the handicapped, state and municipal administrations, public transport organisations, designers and architects.
 

Viktor Dudr  Petr Lněnička

Prague, November 1999