Banning cars from Colchester High Street would make the town centre “incredibly inaccessible” for disabled shoppers, campaigners have warned.Good grief, are they determined to drive away every last customer?
The group, Fair Access to Colchester, says it will oppose Colchester Council’s plans to ban cars from the High Street during the day.
As part of the scheme, the council would remove all 28 disabled parking bays from the High Street and a further ten from Head Street.Yup, put the bays for people with mobility issues further away.
In their place, it would add ten disabled spaces in Vineyard Street car park, four under Culver Square Shopping Centre, five in Priory Street and eight in St Mary’s car park.
Fair Access to Colchester says the new locations are unworkable and would mean longer, often uphill journeys for people with disabilities to reach the town centre from their cars.
That’s some genius town-planning, there…
Lyn Barton, Colchester councillor responsible for the town centre transformation project, said: “We have listened, responded and come up with other options for blue badge holders, which are still being explored.You discovered them? Were they hiding?
“They are an improvement to what we had on the table originally. We are particularly pleased we have discovered extra places under Culver Square.”
As I said yesterday .. being a looney is not actually a job requirement to serve on Colchester Council .. but ....
ReplyDeleteIn my nearest town, they closed the High Street to cars, whacked up all the car parking charges, closed one of the town centre carparks completely, closed all the public toilets, closed the two theatres, demolished the ice rink, reduced the speed limits on all the roads into town, and installed lots and lots of extra traffic lights and speed bumps.
ReplyDeleteSo now the High Street is full of litter and charity shops, and not much else.
You'd think they were expecting such an outcome, would you not?
No, the very same people are deploring the fact that the town centre has become a sort of desert.
Astonishing.
If Colchester council had two functioning brain cells between them they would be dangerous. As it is they are just stupid.
ReplyDeleteWhere is Boadicea when you need her ....?
ReplyDeleteJust up the A12/A140 in Norwich, the (Labour controlled) council recently unveiled at total revamp of the War Memorial and Gardens of Remembrance. Yet within days people started tripping over the re-laid original stone slabs. Apparently, after they had all been cleaned, the previously discoloured joints and edges were no longer visible!
ReplyDeleteYou would think that their disabilities department might have foreseen something like this happening...
"You'd think they were expecting such an outcome, would you not?"
ReplyDeleteMaybe iDave's plan to choke off the money supply from CentGov and let local councils keep more local business rates will make a difference?
If it ever sees the light of day...
"You would think that their disabilities department might have foreseen something like this happening..."
Too busy writing columns for the 'Guardian' on the need for inclusivity and 'disability neutral language', I expect...