Access Denied?

Access Denied? PDF Access Denied? RTF

At a meeting in June 2002, the Transport Committee discussed access to parking in Central London for people with mobility problems. The Committee heard that parking concessions offered under the national disabled parking badge scheme (the Blue Badge) do not apply within Central London. Instead each of the central boroughs and Transport for London operate separate disabled parking schemes. As a result, a visit to the West End or City for London’s 215,000 Blue Badge holders can be frustrating, confusing and often result in parking fines.

This report recommends that the Mayor start by reviewing the need for the current Central London exemption from the Blue Badge Scheme. If it is to remain in place, we recommend significant improvements in the guidance given to the boroughs about parking accessibility, the enforcement of existing disabled bays, the amount of information provided about concessions in Central London and the level of consistency between the parking schemes within each central borough. The report stresses that the Transport Committee will be pressing the Mayor, TfL and the boroughs to work with disability organisations to improve this situation and will be monitoring progress closely.