Agenda item

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It was reported that there had been ten registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme. However, due to withdrawals and technical issues four registered speakers did not speak at the meeting.

Rose Drew raised concerns about the proposal to remove and establish new blue badge parking spaces around the city due to the impact disabled residents accessing the city centre. She noted that the city already had one of the largest foot street zones in the country and the plans would prevent those with mobility issues accessing certain parts of the city centre and by the time restrictions would be lifted in the day shops would be closing preventing use access.

Councillor Pavlovic thanked officers and the new Vice Chancellor of the University of York for recognising the issues of parking when living near the University for residents, an issue which he noted had persisted for years. He asked that the proposed residents parking be extended to include all of New Park Drive to prevent one half of the street becoming a site diverted parking. He also noted a local petition from residents in support of the whole street being included within the scheme.

Councillor Kilbane spoke on a number of items. He asked why decisions were being made on blue badge parking spaces while the My City Centre Consultation was still underway? In relation to the South Bank residents parking scheme he noted that with many streets not making the 50% response rate needed, that the Council should expect a potential rise in parking on non-residential parking streets and that the Council needed to consider a broader solution to parking across the city. Finally he raised concerns that regarding the delays to the Active Travel Fund highlighted in item 10 and questioned the ability of the Council to deliver scheme and whether active travel was a priority for the Council.

Martin Emerson spoke in relation to the residents parking proposal near the University of York. He noted that residents felt they were not aware enough of the consultation undertaken by the Council. He requested that the scheme include all of New Park Drive and also referred to the support from the local petition.

Anne Norton spoke on behalf of York Disability Rights Forum in relation to the removal and moving of blue badge parking spaces. She noted that while the Council had made improvements many members of the York Disability Rights Forum maintained concerns that they would not be suitable to provide access to the city centre. She asked that the Council continue mapping exercises to identify non-accessible areas within the city. Finally she highlighted concerns from disabled residents to York Open Data referring to the city as being accessible.

Councillor Melly also spoke in relation to the changes to blue badge parking. She noted that the footstreet extension had many benefits for those that could access to the city centre including being a benefit to businesses, however, she highlighted that this was only for those that could access the city centre and that more should be done to ensure accessible for everyone.