Green roads bar disabled from parking bays
Blue badge holders find many spots have been closed to make way for social distancing routes
DISABLED people are being “banished” from towns and cities across Britain because councils are closing parking bays as part of the Government’s controversial green roads policy.
Blue badge permit holders are discovering many bays meant to give disabled people easy access to high street shops have been closed to make way for cycle lanes and allow pedestrians to social distance. Now, disability campaigners are urging Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, to clarify his £250million scheme to promote a “new era for cycling and walking” to ensure disabled people are not ignored.
His policy has come in for widespread criticism as some councils have used these emergency powers to close roads to traffic or turn them into oneway routes with little consultation, and at a time when local businesses are meant to be kick-starting the economy.
A Freedom of Information request revealed North Norfolk district council believed it did not need to consult disability groups when closing four disabled bays in North Walsham because “emergency Covid legislation permits Highways Authorities to make Temporary Orders … for which there is no requirement for consultation [with disability groups]”. A large wooden planter and pub-style table and benches were screwed into the bays after Mr Shapps’s announcement in May.
Vehement opposition to the closure of the high street and bays has forced the local authority to reopen the street and three of the bays.
The Department for Transport last night insisted the emergency legislation “made no change to the notice period for any road changes or the ability of local residents, including disabled people, to respond to orders”.
Disabled people across the country have posted photographs on social media of their designated parking closed off. James Taylor of Scope, the disability equality charity, said it was concerning post-lockdown Britain was “locking out” disabled people.
“It is very disturbing to hear councils are going ahead and removing disabled parking bays to free up space for cyclists and pedestrians without consulting disabled people first,” he said.
“We understand that new safety measures are needed to help reduce the spread of coronavirus but they should not be at the expense of disabled people.”
He said temporarily closing the “hard fought for” bays will isolate disabled people, as well as meaning businesses will not benefit from the so-called “purple pound”. He added: “Councils must engage with disabled people about the changes they are making in their communities. At a national level, the Government must factor disabled people’s needs into every step of its coronavirus recovery plan.”
Fazilet Hadi, policy manager at Disability Rights UK, said the Government’s “rapidly implemented” scheme was neglecting millions of disabled and older people. “Many of us are not able to cycle or walk long distances and access by car is our only option. For those of us who have mobility or sight impairments, barriers and tables and chairs on the pavement can be physical hazards,” she said.
Dr Lisa Cameron, chairman of the all-party parliamentary group for disability, is to write to Mr Shapps about widespread concerns. “It is simply wrong to remove disabled parking bays. I am shocked at the photographic evidence I have seen,” she said. Bob White, a North Walsham businessman who secured more than 1,000 signatures against road closures in his town, said residents were “staggered” when planters and benches were placed on the disabled bays. “The bays were outside the chemists and were used by disabled and elderly people to collect prescriptions,” he said.
Ian Clark, who has a blue badge because his 19-year-old son, Ian Jr, has Down’s syndrome, said: “It was inhuman. It upset many vulnerable people in the town.”
Duncan Baker, MP for North Norfolk who visited the town last week, said “Whilst social distancing is key, everybody knows that high streets need footfall – if you make it harder for people to shop, they will bypass the town, which is what happened.”