Hampstead: Blind rock climber calls for pavement ad clampdown

A blind rock climber has said pavement advertising is causing him more injuries than his climbing adventures.

Red Szell, the first blind person to scale the 449ft (137m) sea stack Old Man of Hoy, in Orkney, called on Camden Council to clamp down on A-boards.

The Hampstead resident says they can be a hazard for visually impaired people and others with disabilities.

Camden Council, which covers Hampstead, said it was considering a full ban on street advertising boards.

Businesses use A-boards of varying heights and weights to advertise everything from coffee to glasses, and even legal services, in Hampstead.

The British Independent Retailers Association (BIRA) said they were an increasingly important marketing tool for small businesses.

However, Mr Szell, who uses a white stick, said it was hard to navigate around them meaning he often hurt himself on them and has even fallen over one.

"You catch your hand on them and it takes a week to heal," he said.

"I never wear shorts walking around Hampstead for the same reason."

Some of the A-boards have metal clasps or chains to hold them open, which can cause injuries, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"It's a problem that is getting worse," Mr Szell said. "It's a rare visit to my local shops where I do not end up incurring some kind of flesh wound to my hands, arms, knees or shins."

Mr Szell has urged Camden Council to make it easier to get around for "thousands of visually impaired people using its pavements".

He told councillors at a meeting in July: "I am a keen rock climber, so I'm used to a bit of jeopardy, but as a blind person I can honestly say I feel more intimidated and at greater risk of injury on my local pavements than I've felt on any rockface."

The Royal National Institute of Blind People's Official Pavement Code urged businesses: "Please don't leave A-boards in the middle of the pavement. They cause obstructions to people with sight loss."

Camden Council said it was "vital" that blind and partially sighted people were able to walk around the borough safely.

Councillor Adam Harrison said that, under the rules, at least 1.8m (5.9ft) of clear space must be kept on pavements to ensure that people can walk freely.

"However, we are considering whether we could go further, including whether to introduce a full ban on A-boards," he added

The BIRA said businesses should continue to use them, but urged traders to be "responsible and considerate" so that high streets are accessible.

Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected]