Parking Charges Would Be Like 'A Tax On Being Disabled'

Proposals to introduce parking charges for blue badge holders in Newcastle are like putting 'a tax on being disabled' according to one campaigner. Angela Hamilton is disabled member's officer at Newcastle Unison. She started a petition against the plan, saying they're unfair and discriminatory and will make it hard for people to work and go out in the city.

Newcastle City Council have made the plans as part of their budget proposals.

Angela said: "The only conversations some people have with people is when they go out to the shops, that's the only time they get to meet people.

"If they're going to be charged to do that they're not going to get to talk to anyone throughout the whole day."

Angela also said: "It's about being able to support yourself and feel like a useful part of society and what people are telling me is that they can't actually afford to continue working and they might have to give up work."

The plans are still being looked at by the council.

Under the new scheme, instead of free parking, blue badge holders would get one extra hour of parking for free for each hour they pay for in the council car parks across the city.

A spokesperson for Newcastle City Council said: "We have provided blue badge holders with concessions for a number of years but now budget cuts mean we are no longer able to continue to subsidise these in this way.

“However we recognise that people with mobility issues need to park close to their destination and that it takes them longer to do their shopping. That is why for every hour’s parking they pay for they will get another hour free.

“These charges are fair and still significantly more generous than those offered in privately run car parks.

“Any additional revenue we raise will be spent supporting the shop mobility scheme and tackling blue badge fraud which is a big problem in the city, and something that the vast majority of blue badge holders support us with."

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