I wish to register my agreement,  in the wider interests of public safety,  with the proposals being made in relation to the above recommended changes.   I have had the privilege to have held a blue badge for six years, just renewed for a further three.   During that time I have always found sufficient blue badge parking spaces in City of York public car parks and at the brilliant York park and ride facilities	Thank you for comments on the proposal.
Thank you for your latest email asking for opinions on foot street restrictions, esp for disabled people.  I  disagree entirely with the wording of para 3. I do not want to see a return to previous accessibility, nor "greatly" increased access hours for bb vehicles. As an older citizen with balance and sight problems I have welcomed the footstreets extension with relief .  The whole point of vehicle restrictions is to allow ALL pedestrians safer space and wider access along streets previously congested with cars, mostly blue badge parked . Many of Yorks footpaths are narrow and uneven neccesitating walking onto the nearby roadway which was impossible due to parked cars, and therefore having to walk in the centre of the roadway ,risking collision with cycles. Pavement encroachment is also a big problem now with chairs and tables spreading across the footpaths and into the roadway. I just hope the sandwich board does not reappear!  Footpaths and footstreets should not be cluttered with obstacles but how is this monitored?  Also,I cannot understand why bb vehicles are allowed to park indefinitely on double yellow lines, they are surely obstacles obstructing the highway. Otherwise why double yellow?  I do believe that the Council have bent backwards to try and compensate disabled users, but a very vocal minority are determined to resist whatever measures are offered. Just because the silent majority are afraid to speak up should not mean we are ignored.  I hope these comments will not be.	Thank you for your comments and information on how the temporary restrictions have been met with relief by yourself.  Vehicles displaying a BB are entitled to park on double yellow lines for three hours.
I support the Council’s proposals to extend the current footstreets permanently. Streets which previously allowed access and parking for vehicles with disabled persons access rights were much less pleasant for pedestrians, and effectively became long onstreet car parks. Good ram gate was particularly badly affected by nose to tail parking which harmed the amenity for pedestrians as well as the character of this historic city street. It also reduced access to shops and so harmed trading.  I have joined a group called Walk York in the hope that this would promote the cause of pedestrians in the city centre, but am dismayed to find that it intends to support the reintroduction of onstreet disabled badge parking on the 8 streets from which it has been removed. Please ensure that this does not happen.	Thank you for your comments and information on how the temporary restrictions have been met with relief by yourself.
I do hope the Council will resist the reported pressure from Blue Badge holders to let them park in Goodramgate during Pedestrian Zone hours.  In the first place they may legally park free on double yellow lines in St Andrewgate, which is very close both to Goodramgate and King’s Square. I have never seen more than a very few Blue Badge holders there, there is plenty of room. There are also car parks contiguous to the zone in Piccadilly and at the Castle car park, where the charges are trifling compared to the cost of even a tankful of petrol.  Moreover the majority of the disabled are not well enough off to run cars—you only have to go on a number 6 bus to see that.  Pedestrian zones never work unless it is impossible for cars to enter them, or else they are rigorously enforced, which York’s never was.  It is the disabled themselves who most need a calm and traffic free environment. Until Goodramgate was blocked off, and it because impossible to drive through the city centre, I myself, not disabled but now elderly , felt very unwelcome in the centre of the city, because it was impossible to walk around without being disturbed by cars which should not have been there. As a result I hardly ever shopped there.  But now I have started to shop there again, and to spend money in pubs and restaurants.  So to rescind the restrictions would make life worse for everyone, especially the disabled, would increase pollution, and would reduce the prosperity of the city. In any case shops in Goodramgate such as Tesco’s are open from 7 a.m. till 11 p.m, so disabled motorists have plenty of opportunity to shop outside zone hours.  Please fell free to pass this e-mail on to whoever you wish.	Thank you for your comments on the proposal.