I have had no discussions with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on this specific issue. However, the Department for Communities and Local Government is represented on the cross-ministerial group on “Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People”, which meets regularly under the chairmanship of the Minister for Disabled People.
The Department for Transport and the Department for Communities and Local Government have been working together on the issue of shared spaces, and shared surfaces, and have produced guidance: the Manual for Streets, which was published in 2007.
Later this year, the Department for Transport will start a two-year contract to address the issues faced by visually-impaired people in negotiating shared spaces and shared surfaces. The aim is to produce a comprehensive guidance document outlining various techniques which can be used to help visually-impaired people navigate their way around these environments.