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Tactile paving guide

Tactile paving guide

Paving with a raised, embossed or textured profile that is designed to help visually impaired pedestrians navigate public spaces.

Tactile paving from Marshalls

Tactile flag paving is essential in any public area, serving as a crucial warning system for visually impaired pedestrians at road crossings or gradient changes.

Shaped in different ways, these tactile indicators built into the paving materials provide physical cues for people with partial or no sight, informing them of certain hazards, obstacles and the safest direction of travel.

You'll find them in use in landscaping, including on train platform edges, kerb sides, crossings, cycle paths, and to warn about approaching obstacles.

Installing the appropriate paving in these key areas ensures safety and accessibility for all.

Blister Paving

Created to aid visually impaired and blind people as they navigate towns and cities on foot, this paving helps identify appropriate crossing points, indicates whether a crossing is controlled or uncontrolled, and allows the visually impaired to align themselves correctly with the crossing.

Tactile Blister Paving

Blister Block Paving

Tactile Blister Block Paving

Hazard Warning Paving

Designed to warn users of potential hazards in the immediate vicinity and to proceed with caution, such as stairs. Hazard Warning Tactile Flag Paving features a raised striped pattern which runs across its surface.

Tactile Hazard Warning Paving

Platform Edge Paving

Utilised to mark the edge of a railway platform, Marshalls' Tactile Platform Edge Paving creates a visual and physical alert to the presence of a platform edge.

Tactile Platform Edge Paving

Directional Guidance Paving

The raised profile and contrasting colours of Marshalls Tactile Directional Guidance Paving provide physical and visual alerts to people who are blind or visually impaired. Used in public spaces such as squares and plazas, Tactile Directional Guidance Paving helps pedestrians avoid hazards and obstructions.

Tactile Directional Guidance Paving

Barface Paving

All of the Marshalls paving range complies with strict BS slip/skid requirements - but for applications which demand even better grip characteristics, the raised profile of the Tactile Barface Paving units provides superior traction, making them ideal for use on steep inclines or access ramps.

Tactile Barface Paving

Lozenge Paving

Created specifically to designate on-street platform edges, Marshalls Lozenge Tactile Flag Paving warns users of where Light Rapid Transport systems (LRT) and Supertram schemes' platform edges begin.

Tactile Lozenge Paving

Cycle tactile paving

Marshalls Cycleway Tactile Flag Paving is used to indicate the beginning or end of shared pedestrian/cycle routes which are not separated by different levels.

Cycleway Demarcation Tactile Paving

Natural stone tactile paving options

Whether you're designing for a heritage setting or a contemporary public realm, our bespoke tactile paving can be crafted from premium stones.

All our natural stone tactile paving is manufactured to meet UK and European standards, with options for bespoke dimensions, finishes and detailing. From blister and lozenge profiles to directional guidance, each unit is precision-engineered to support inclusive mobility while enhancing the visual language of your landscape design.

Looking to integrate tactile paving seamlessly into your scheme?

Our specialist design team can support you with CAD detailing, material selection and compliance advice – ensuring your project is both beautiful and barrier-free.

View concrete and natural stone tactile paving

Frequently Asked Questions: Tactile Paving for Commercial Landscapes

What is tactile paving and why is it important?

Tactile paving helps make landscape spaces accessible for all.

Tactile paving refers to specially designed pedestrian paving units that feature raised surface profiles. These profiles are strategically arranged to convey essential information – such as direction, hazards, or safe crossing points – to visually impaired individuals, enhancing accessibility and safety in public spaces.

Where is tactile paving typically used?

You’ll find tactile paving at pedestrian crossings, train platforms, steps, and other areas where visual cues are essential for safety. In commercial landscapes, it’s often integrated into urban design to meet accessibility standards.

Read our Tactile Paving Blog, where we run through options and applications.

What are the different types of tactile paving?

There are several types, each serving a specific function:

Blister paving: Generally, blister paving is used at roads or other crossings, and the red colour specific to blisters is used to denote a controlled crossing point.
Platform edge blister paving: Some people refer to it as the blisters being ‘staggered’, so they're not square, and this type is used on railways, light, rapid transport systems and wherever you've got a warning that's off-road.
Lozenge paving: To demarcate an on-street platform edge, such as light rapid transport systems and tramways.
Cycle paving: These have bars that indicate the pedestrian and cycle sections of shared cycleways. The bars are aligned in the same direction as the cycle portion of the cycleways, which is the direction of cycle travel. For the pedestrian half, the bars are aligned across the direction of travel to make it uncomfortable for bicycles to pass over.
Corduroy or Hazard Warning paving: Similar to cycle paving, corduroy or hazard warning paving would be installed to run across the approach to a hazard, such as obstacles in the middle of an open area or at the top or bottom of a flight of stairs. It's very important that the pavement contrasts with its surroundings and stands out.
Guidance/Directional paving: It's rarely used, but it guides users around obstacles in open spaces or across large open spaces. If the user knows that a pathway takes them from one corner of a large square to another, then it eases their path.

Is tactile paving a legal requirement in the UK?

While not always statutory, tactile paving is strongly recommended in government guidance such as the DfT’s “Guidance on the Use of Tactile Paving Surfaces”. It supports compliance with the Equality Act 2010 and inclusive design principles.

What materials are used in tactile paving?

Tactile paving is commonly made from concrete or from natural stone. For high-traffic commercial areas, concrete block paving is often preferred due to its durability and ability to withstand vehicular overrun.

How do I choose the right tactile paving for my project?

Selection depends on location, expected footfall, and regulatory requirements. For example, red blister paving is used at controlled crossings, while buff is used at uncontrolled ones.

Marshalls has a Tactile Paving CPD that runs through the basics.

Can tactile paving be integrated into aesthetic landscape design?

Absolutely.

Modern tactile paving solutions are available in various colours and finishes to complement surrounding materials while maintaining functionality and compliance.