Work to restore access for blue badge holders to York has begun.
City of York Council is starting a consultation on overturning the decision to ban disabled drivers from parking on the footstreets.
The previous Lib Dem-Green coalition brought in the restriction saying it was necessary to comply with advice from security experts on keeping the city safe from terrorist attacks by car.
A pledge to ‘Reverse the Ban’ was a cornerstone of the Labour Party’s successful election campaign in May.
Council leader Claire Douglas said: “When they voted for a new administration on 4 May, the people of York made clear they wanted us to overturn decisions that locked disabled people out of their own city centre.
“We have given an urgent instruction to officers to start the process that will restore blue badge holders’ access to the city centre.”
The council is due to decide in October about the operational measures needed to restore blue badge access to York city centre.
A consultation on how to do this begins this week. It will ask blue badge holders, campaigners, disability groups, businesses and others to comment on key areas.
These include how to grant blue badge holders access through the bollards designed to keep out hostile vehicles.
And what to do during some city centre events which “may require blue badge access to be suspended at times (for example during the Christmas markets)”.
You can get involved with the consultation via this page on the council’s website.
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