Disability parking

Dragonslayer
Dragonslayer Online Community Member Posts: 2,164 Pioneering
edited January 2022 in Everyday life
In York, not too far from where I live, the council have blocked the roads into town with a huge steel barrier. This stops people driving and parking in town. This also stops disabled drivers from entering. Many disabled people can now no longer get into town at all. The council have said the barrier is to stop terrorism and they will not allow disabled drivers to enter or park. I think it's disgraceful for many disabled drivers rely on their cars just to get around. Now their world has been reduced even further.
My own city council is also doing things that are getting close to what York have done. I believe that many other towns and city's will follow. 
Is this kind of thing happening where, or close to where you live?
And what do you think of it?  

Comments

  • Alex_Alumni
    Alex_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,538 Championing
    edited January 2022
    Thanks for starting this discussion @Dragonslayer I've seen a lot about it on Twitter. It's definitely having a negative impact on the disabled community in and around York. 

    Where I live some of the main streets are pedestrianised, some are not, but anyone with a blue badge is entitled to free on street parking where there are allocated spaces, as well as parking on single/double yellow lines for a maximum of 3 hours- though personally I never like parking on lines if I can help it. 

    It's a problem when approaching town in my powerchair, when I find drivers (often those without badges, or delivery drivers), parking on the pavement and over dropped curbs, obstructing my route and meaning I have to double back or go into the road. There seems to be a real lack of awareness about this, with the reason usually being 'It'll only be a few minutes'.

    I hope you didn't mind my slightly off topic rant, and I'm looking forward to hearing about members experiences :)
  • Poppy_
    Poppy_ Online Community Member Posts: 192 Empowering
    Hi, I live in York and I agree with you. I can see both sides of it, the barricades do help in reducing the amount of people within a certain area, which is helpful when out and about, however, I do agree it is stopping accessibility, in terms of parking, etc. The disabled parking was always limited in York, so this does limit it more. The barriers were introduced to help with the flow during the Christmas market, and it was helpful in some of the areas in York. The problem with York is that the accessibility was never good to start with, due to the National Trust buildings, cobbles, etc, so this does seem to hinder the accessibility in York even more. 
  • onebigvoice
    onebigvoice Scope Member Posts: 912 Pioneering
    Yes I agree, most City Centres are now pedestrianised, and those that are not may soon be.  Cardiff stopped traffic across the front of Cardiff Castle and made cycle lanes and bus lanes only to encourage the use of private hire or park and ride out side town or public transport use.  I can't say it has worked since I am on a main bus route into and out of Town centre Cardiff and see many busses pass with little on nearly no passengers?  Sales in Cardiff have slumped, and Newport Road into Cardiff now being the place to shop instead.  The volume of traffic this has caused in Parking and having 6 or more retailers on either side of a traffic light system designed to take light traffic and the queueing to get in, park ( 3 disabled parking bays to each shop retailer ) and the one way system to get in and out is pandemonium every day.  Starbucks at the other end of one of these retail parks is also a 10 minute wait just to get into the estate and then most can't park so use the drive through.  Which I might add is being abused since it allows access to the main road at the back and they find it easier to drive through after shopping and get a coffee on the way out than queue to get out again.
      Has this worked in Cardiff, Sadly I think not, as parking for disabled are being used by others without a Blue Badge.
      Cardiff Council ( and I don't know if its only Cardiff, as I don't go any where, have patrols who check the blue badges and do fine people who don't display.  After all its a little price to pay to display a badge correctly to park close to shops when you can't walk....   

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