Silent vehicles pose danger to the blind

Electric vehicles should be made louder to avoid posing a risk to visually impaired pedestrians, according to the Guide Dogs association.

In a meeting with local MEP Fiona Hall, the Association has called for Europe-wide legislation to ensure a minimum noise level on vehicles. This would ensure they are audible to those who rely on their hearing when they cross the road.

North East Guide Dogs Engagement Manager Andrew Leon said: "Having a minimum noise level on electric vehicles is critical to the independence and freedom of movement of the million or so blind and partially sighted people in the UK as well as many others. Guide Dogs wholeheartedly supports environmentally-friendly technology and our campaign is to ensure it does not result in isolation or loss of independence. Two things would help to avoid this. Mandatory installation of Acoustic Vehicle Alerting Systems (AVAS) in all electric vehicles, and that these should be audible to road users all of the time so that it can't be switched of by the driver. In a country with an increasingly aging population more of us will either know someone who has failing eyesight or experience it ourselves. We need environmentally-friendly technology but for it to be truly progressive we also need it to be safe and inclusive."

Lib Dem MEP Fiona Hall visited the Guide Dogs' HQ in Newcastle and took part in a blindfolded walkabout with a trainee dog to get a better understanding of the issue.

She said: "I'm a huge supporter of electric vehicles. They have the potential to bring great economic and environmental benefits to the North East. But there is real concern about the danger they will pose if they are too quiet. Both Linda Oliver and Sheila Tyrell whom I spoke to at the Guide Dogs Association said that near-silent cars on the road would result in a huge erosion of their independence as they rely entirely on their hearing to get them across roads. Fortunately, the solution is fairly obvious. Minimum noise levels are already mandatory in countries such as Japan and I'll be working with colleagues in the European Parliament to introduce them over here as well. Generally speaking, we need to make vehicles quieter because noise pollution is a problem in many in urban areas - but we need to find the right balance and ensure that vehicles are still audible to other road users."