Disability campaigners calling for blue badge access to be improved in York
The York Equal Access Campaign says it's harder for people with disabilities to access the city centre.
Disability campaigners are calling for blue badge access to be improved in York.
The York Equal Access Campaign says City of York Council has made it harder for people with disabilities to access the city centre.
A protest is being planned for next week (Wednesday 18th August), with a location and time set to be confirmed.
Rose Drew is from the group: "I got involved because suddenly I couldn't bike in; I couldn't reach anything.
"My daughter cried for a week and said 'I want to move from York - I don't want to be here'.
"She couldn't bike to go into the city centre - they closed it off. It's an ableist approach and that leads to segregation and misunderstanding.
"Everything takes longer, so to add another 2 hours of faffing around to just go to a shop means people with disabilities won't do it.
"The Council's looking at these empty bays and asking 'why aren't people using them?' - It's because it's exhausting to do so and it's like a SWAT mission going into the city centre.
"I can't use a wheelchair or sit - so for people suggesting I get a scooter that would take another 2 hours, and you can't own one if you live in a narrow terraced house like mine.
"I don't think we'll change minds. There are too many bike barriers, and I want to draw attention to this problem; we are being excluded".
We contacted City of York Council for a statement, who told us: "The footstreets proposals are part of the most extensive review of accessibility in the city centre since the footstreets were established.
"Engagement with disabled residents and other groups is at the heart of this review.
"Extensive engagement last year helped us better understand the wide range of access needs – including the benefits of the removal of vehicles to many disabled people - to create an inclusive, thriving and safe city centre.
"While we’ve already reinstated blue badge access to Deangate, provided additional blue badge parking and proposed more on the edge of the city centre, we’re also consulting around proposals which will significantly improve access to the city centre for disabled residents.
"This includes how to make our car parks more accessible, the timings of the footstreets hours, access for disabled people who use cycles as a mobility aid, the quality and location of dropped kerbs, quality of footpaths, rest points and facilities throughout the city centre. We’re also reviewing the Shopmobility service.
"These recommendations will be shared ahead of any decision over the permanent removal of blue badge exemptions for access to footstreets.
"We’re grateful that many of York’s disabled people have taken time to complete surveys and contribute to these conversations, and look forward to continuing that conversation to improve access for disabled people in York.
"City of York Council is willing to speak to the York Equal Access Campaign and listen to the concerns expressed around the Footstreets policy."