Tactile Paving – Guidance for Disabled Access
What is tactile paving?
Tactile paving is used on public spaces to provide information to people with impaired vision. Used correctly it improves mobility and disabled access.
Tactile paving informs visually impaired pedestrians:
- where to cross the road and the type of crossing
- where hazards are
- where the top and bottom of steps might be
Used incorrectly they can be a danger to visually impaired pedestrians. The examples at the end of the article demonstrate this.
You will probably need to cover the use of tactile surfaces in any building regulation application that requires an access statement. An Access Statement is an explanation of how access and facilities for people with disabilities and others has been addressed in a particular scheme and is used by Building Control to assess compliance with Part M of the building regulations. We recommend that you take professional advice when preparing this statement, please contact the Collier Stevens team who can provide expert guidance.
What types of tactile paving are there?
There are six types of tactile paving styles:
- Blister surface for pedestrian crossings – parallel flat top domes
- Corduroy hazard warning
- Platform edge (on-street) warning surface – rows of lozenge shapes 6mm high with rounded edges. There are six lozenges on a standard 400mm by 400mm module.
- Segregated shared cycle track/footway surface and central delineator strip (Ladder and Tramline) – known as a ladder and tramline surface. There are four flat topped bars on a standard 400mm by 400mm module. A central delineator strip is to help vision impaired people, other users, and cyclists keep to the correct side. This is 12-20mm high (preferably 20mm), 150mm wide with sloping sides and a flat top of 50mm.
- Guidance path surface – There are five flat topped bars on a standard 400mm by 400mm module. They should be laid running in the direction of pedestrian travel.
- Platform edge (off-street) warning surface (at the edge of railway and underground station platforms only) – offset rows of flat-topped domes 5mm high, spaced 66.5mm apart from the centre of one dome to the centre of the next
In this article we focus on the two main types of tactical paving:
- Blister paving
- Corduroy paving
What is blister paving?
Blister paving has a surface with parallel rows of flat-topped blisters (domes). Sometimes you see this as stainless steel or plastic features set into paving.
Where is blister paving used?
It can be installed at both controlled and uncontrolled crossings.It must not be used at the top or bottom of steps or ramps.
For a controlled crossing, the paving is usually coloured red and for all other crossings it is usually buff. In all cases it should contrast with the surrounding paving. In some sensitive places such as conservation areas, brass studs can be used on York stone or similar slabs.
As well as colour, the layout of the blister paving is important as it indicates to the pedestrian the type and complexity of the crossing they are at. Specific guidance for this is available from the Government website.
What is corduroy paving?
Corduroy paving has long, regularly spaced raised round edged bars to warn blind and partially sighted people of a potential hazard ahead. There are eight bars on a standard 400mm by 400mm module, installed at right angles to the direction of travel.
It is usually buff coloured, but can be any colour apart from red and must contrast with the surroundings.
Where is corduroy paving used?
These are most often used at the top and bottom of steps. It is important that it is installed correctly and in the correct location – 400mm from the head and base of steps.
It is also used in spaces for public transport:
- the foot of a ramp to an on-street tram platform (but not at any other ramps as properly formed ramps at the correct gradient should not need a warning at their head and base.)
- a railway level crossing
- where people could inadvertently walk directly onto a railway station platform
The placement of the corduroy paving in these spaces is also very specific and must be adhered to.
They are also used to indicate a shared public path, eg, at transitions between a footway or footpath and a shared use route, or a cycle lane crossing a pavement.
What happens when tactile paving goes wrong?
A couple of examples of how not to do it are described here – almost certainly these have been left to builders to design, and inadvertently they just get it wrong.
An access ramp at a London school: Corduroy paving was unnecessarily used for a ramp. However, even if it were required, it has been used incorrectly – being placed on the ramp itself. This means it cannot be used by any wheelchair user.wishing to self-propel up the ramp, making the building inaccessible. During my accessibility audit at the school, I asked why corduroy was there and was informed the contractor had intended it ‘for grip’.
A large transport terminus: Corduroy paving is down as required, but this time about 1000mm from the top of the steps, and also at the top of the ramp. If you were visually impaired what would you be expecting when you walked over the corduroys – a ramp? Or a step? You should expect steps and you should expect the first of these 400mm after the corduroys, not 1 metre (1000mm).
Corduroy placement: At the bottom of the steps the corduroy is bang up against the bottom step and not 400mm away. For what it’s worth, there are also problems with the handrails and the steps which will form the subject of later postings.
No use of tactile paving: Here is an example where there are no tactile markings at all, as well as badly contrasted paving, and disastrous handrails. All in all, this is an accident waiting to happen, not just for visually impaired people, but for any pedestrian.
What are the rules for tactile paving?
BS 8300 provides a start point for these tactile surfaces which is reinforced by Part M of the building regulations. Further guidance is available in the Centre for Accessible Environments guide to Designing for Accessibility.
The Government provides detailed guidance on the correct use of tactile paving: Inclusive mobility using tactile paving surfaces
If you are not sure whether your premises need tactile paving or whether what you have laid down meets the recommendations of BS 8300, you may benefit or need a disabled access audit. Even if you had an audit some time ago it’s often worth having the audit updated to ensure that disabled access to your site and premises is as good as can be expected.
If Collier Stevens can help please let us know. Recent commissions for access audits include Police Stations, TV Studios and retail units.
The information in this article is for guidance only. There is no substitute for advice specific to your situation. This post was updated in January 2025, but please be aware the law may change beyond that date.
Steven Way
Steven Way BSc MIHEEM MFPWS MRICS is the Practice Principal and is a Chartered Building Surveyor. With over 35 years as a practicing surveyor, Steve has a wealth of experience and expertise in both residential and commercial building surveying, party wall advice and disabled access auditing. He has also built his reputation as an expert witness.