Council plans to make blue badge holders pay to park
Thursday, 7th July 2011.
Disabled people may soon have to pay to park in Haverhill's car parks.
Members of St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s overview and scrutiny committee have agreed to review whether disabled drivers displaying a blue badge should pay for car parking spaces in off-street car parks owned by the borough.
A panel of councillors and officers will carry out the review, which is likely to report back later in the autumn.
The council says a wide range of organisations will be consulted in order to get as broad an appreciation as possible of the issues.
Blue badge holders currently park for free in borough-owned car parks. The committee, meeting on yesterday, heard that a key issue for disabled customers was availability of spaces and their proximity to services, rather than cost.
Members were told an assumption was made that disability equates to low income, but the same concession was not extended to other low income groups.
The meeting also heard that 5.1 per cent of the population of St Edmundsbury holds a blue badge, a figure which is set to grow.
Cllr David Nettleton, chairman of the committee said: “The review is an investigation of the issues. It will collect information to help clarify the principles of charging blue badge holders and will talk to those most closely concerned. We expect a report to come back to this committee in October."
Members of St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s overview and scrutiny committee have agreed to review whether disabled drivers displaying a blue badge should pay for car parking spaces in off-street car parks owned by the borough.
A panel of councillors and officers will carry out the review, which is likely to report back later in the autumn.
The council says a wide range of organisations will be consulted in order to get as broad an appreciation as possible of the issues.
Blue badge holders currently park for free in borough-owned car parks. The committee, meeting on yesterday, heard that a key issue for disabled customers was availability of spaces and their proximity to services, rather than cost.
Members were told an assumption was made that disability equates to low income, but the same concession was not extended to other low income groups.
The meeting also heard that 5.1 per cent of the population of St Edmundsbury holds a blue badge, a figure which is set to grow.
Cllr David Nettleton, chairman of the committee said: “The review is an investigation of the issues. It will collect information to help clarify the principles of charging blue badge holders and will talk to those most closely concerned. We expect a report to come back to this committee in October."
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