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[Apparelyzed]

Support to scrap disabled charge

A consultation over newly introduced parking charges for disabled people in Bath and North East Somerset found 90% want the charges scrapped.

BaNES Council started charging blue badge holders to park in Keynsham car parks in April bringing it into line with other similar authorities.

The consultation is being organised by Labour MP Dan Norris who has criticised the move as "distasteful and unjust".

So far more than 400 people have been asked for their views on the charges.

Mr Norris said: "A large majority want the council to completely re-think charging policy for all drivers - a measure which would help support trade in a town which is coming to terms with Cadbury's decision to close its Somerdale factory.

"More than half believe parking charges for all drivers should only apply to long-term parking, and that short stays of one or two hours should be free for everyone," he said.

Mr Norris has sent the initial survey findings to Minister for the South West Ben Bradshaw MP, who visited the town in July to find out more about the effect of the new parking charges on disabled people.

Mr Bradshaw said: "It's clear that these charges are having a profound impact on the quality of the lives of many disabled people who simply want to go to the High Street to visit shops, banks, cafes or even the council offices."

Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.u...and/7549331.stm

[russ1]

My take on this is that when all alternatives like park and ride, all local public transport and all pedestrian access routes from outside the town are fully disabled accessable then the council has every right to charge for disabled parking. Until that time, as the council are restricting my options as to alternatives and are thus treating me worse than an able bodied person which they shouldn't be doing and as such should allow me free parking.

I have no idea whether access to town centre facilities is covered by the DDA (prob not or someone would have used it to stop charging by now) but if it's not it should be. If it was my local council doing it I'd be asking serious questions of them but as the article points out it seems to be becoming ever more common as councils seek to keep council taxes down and unless you're a council tax payer / voter you really have no chance of making any impact at all.

Edited by russ1, 15 August 2008 - 03:17 PM.