Disabled campaigners have condemned Hackney Council's decision to proceed with floating bus stops on Queensbridge Road, describing the design as "frightening" and potentially deadly for blind and visually-impaired residents. The updated scheme, approved in July 2026, includes bus stop bypasses intersected by cycle lanes, a move that has sparked protests outside the Town Hall.
Campaigners warn of 'mortal danger'
John Thornton, a visually-impaired wheelchair user from Dalston, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that the design puts him at risk. "I can't see either side as I go down the [bus] ramp. Two and a half metres from the bus is a fast-moving cycle lane, with speeding e-bikes and scooters," he said. "They don't stop, so I'm wheeling straight down into fast-moving traffic."
Thornton attended the protest on Wednesday, September 16, and announced he would begin a hunger strike unless the council changed course. He also criticized the lack of an accessible consultation event, noting that 70 per cent of disabled people rejected the overall Queensbridge Road proposals last year.
Sarah Leadbetter, also visually-impaired, echoed these concerns. "There's just no way to know when it's safe to cross. And we know the vast majority of people will not stop," she told the LDRS.
Council defends design with safety measures
The council's updated proposals include several measures intended to aid visually-impaired and disabled pedestrians, such as cycle speed-activated warning signs, distinctive bypass paving, kerb upstands, and textured strips on the pavement. However, Thornton accused Mayor of Hackney, Zoë Garbett, of breaking two manifesto promises: to prioritize disabled access and improve consultation quality.
The Hackney Greens' manifesto does not specifically mention floating bus stops but acknowledges the "access barriers" disabled residents face on London's public transport. It states: "We will always stand in solidarity with Black, racialised, LGBTQIA+ and Disabled communities and women, and centre their inclusion and rights in all that we do."
'Blind people are being designed out'
Sarah Gayton from the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) joined the demonstration, warning that the "Russian Roulette" bus stop bypasses mean disabled people are being "designed out" of London. "I've had blind people in tears to me on the phone. There are blind people who have to take taxis or who don't bother going out to pubs and social activities. They're becoming much more isolated," she said.
The council's consultation report justifies the floating bus stops by stating they comply with Department for Transport (DfT) volume guidelines for pedestrian, cycle, and bus traffic on Queensbridge Road. Pro-cycling groups and City Hall view these stops as a way to make the capital more cyclist-friendly, supporting Mayor Sadiq Khan's target of 80 per cent of journeys by foot, bicycle, or public transport by 2041.
Last year, ministers paused the rollout of one type of floating bus stop, the Shared Use Bus Border (SUBB), where the cycle lane runs across the front of the bus stop. However, bus stop bypasses, where the bike lane runs behind the stop, continue to be used. The LDRS reported in August that both types make up around 1.5 per cent of the capital's 19,000 bus stops.
Consultation opens, but website unavailable
Cllr Jacob Cable, Cabinet Member for Climate, Clean Air, Energy and Transport, told the LDRS he met with Thornton and is committed to arranging further discussions. "I met with John yesterday and I'm writing to him to follow up on our discussions. I appreciated our frank conversation about the impact floating bus stops are having on him and others with access needs," Cable said.
"These changes are still at the proposal stage and no decision has been made. We [opened] a 21-day statutory public consultation this Friday (September 18), giving everyone the opportunity to review the plans and raise formal objections. We are legally bound to consider and respond to any objections we receive," he added.
Thornton has paused his hunger strike but warned it would resume if floating bus stops returned to the agenda. Hackney Council's consultation on Queensbridge Road upgrades was due to go live on Friday, September 18, but as of 6pm it was not available on the authority's website.
