Maryanne Dalton

This is 79-year-old Robert Thompson from Bray. Robert is completely blind, but until recently, he has managed to live a highly independent life with the help of his brilliant guide dog, Rhona. But right now, Wicklow County Council is failing him, and the entire visually impaired community. For years, the audible signals at pedestrian crossings across Bray have been faulty. Recently, things have gone from bad to worse. The critical audio signals that tell Robert where the crossing pole is (the "wait" sound) and when it is actually safe to cross (the "go" sound) have stopped working entirely on busy routes near his home. "There’s no way I would cross that road without the sound," Robert says. "It’s just too dangerous." To make matters worse, recent changes to the local Dublin bus network (replacing the old 145 route with the E1 spine) mean his usual handy bus stops are gone. Because the council has left the nearby pedestrian signals broken, Robert can no longer cross the street safely at his local stop. Robert is now forced to get off the bus early and walk a massive, grueling 1.5 kilometers EACH WAY along a highly dangerous, busy stretch of road just to find a single working crossing. Robert has contacted Wicklow County Council repeatedly. They have acknowledged his complaints, but they have met him with absolute silence regarding any actual repairs. Basic mobility and safety should be a right, not a luxury. By ignoring these broken signals for years, the council is effectively trapping vulnerable residents in their own towns and actively stripping away their independence. Please SHARE this post! Let’s get the word out and force Wicklow County Council to do their job, fix the audio signals in Bray, and restore safety and freedom to Robert and others who rely on them! #WicklowCountyCouncil #AccessibilityMatters #Bray #Inclusion #GuideDogsIreland #RobertThompson independent.ie/county/wicklo…