Signs for visually impaired miss the mark with un-raised braille

The signs appear to include braille - except the dots have been printed on a flat surface. Photo / Twitter

Temporary signs intended to assist the visually impaired have missed the mark with the use of un-raised braille.

The signs have been installed at the Aotea Centre, an Auckland Live venue in Central Auckland, and appear to include braille - except the dots have been printed on a flat surface.

Braille is a tactile writing system used by people who are visually impaired. It is traditionally written with embossed paper.

A visitor to the events centre took to Twitter to express their dismay, writing, "Congrats to Auckland Live on having braille on your signs, however, it is only printed on and not actually raised at all! So invisible to a blind person."

Permanent signs, complete with raised dots, are currently being installed in stages across the centre. Photo / Auckland Council

An Auckland Live spokeswoman said the signs are temporary way finding signs, ordered as an interim measure during renovations.

"While they show the lettering that will be on the permanent signs, they were printed onto a temporary material and so do not have the raised dots," she said.

"Not removing the braille lettering from these temporary signs was an oversight."

The spokeswoman said permanent signs, complete with raised dots, are currently being installed in stages across the centre.

All signage will be in place by the end of the month, she said.

Congrats to @AucklandLive on having braille on your signs...however, it is only printed on and not actually raised at all! So...invisible to a blind person 😬#notsogreat#accessibility#atleasttheytried#braille pic.twitter.com/qzyjfQJD4R

— 50ShadesOfJay (@htownchoirboy) April 14, 2019