“A good start, but more needs to be done to help local people” was the verdict of Conservative group leader Chris Steward after the decision to reverse the Blue Badge City Centre ban.
At a council meeting, the ruling Labour group have chosen to allow blue badge holders into areas of Blake Street, Lendal, Goodramgate, Church Street, King’s Square and Colliergate, while keeping some Hostile Moving Vehicle (HMV) anti-terrorism measures in place around the city.
And while broadly welcoming the decision, Cllr Steward said he wants to see much more work done to enable disabled people living and working in York to be able to move around the city as they want.
“Better preparing the city against the threat of terrorism must never stop one group of people who hold blue badges from simply going about their daily business,” he said.
“As councillor we all know disabled people and their families who have been greatly inconvenienced by the blue badge ban but much worse we have people who have simply been unable to enter the city centre for three years, which is a terrible situation.
“We welcome the decision taken by Labour to enable blue badge holders to get back in the city centre and hope we will see the practical methods for doing this in place as soon as possible.
“This a good start, but more needs to be done to help local people and help repair some of the damage the previous draconian measures have done.
“Of course, we need to make sure everybody living and working in York stays safe from the threat of terrorism, but I would like to say more work done with local disabled people to find solutions to making their lives easier while protecting the community as a whole.”
