FREE parking for disabled blue badge holders in Newcastle car parks will be scrapped in July.

City transport bosses are finally due to enact much-criticised plans to impose new parking fees on disabled drivers at popular council-run locations such as the Eldon Square and Eldon Garden multi-storeys.

Free on-street parking will still be available at various locations in the city.

A new council report confirms that 105 objections were made to the heavily-debated proposal from residents, church groups, a university, and charities – with some claiming it will “punish” people for being disabled and make it harder for them to access the city centre.

But the Labour-run council insisted that it “does not have an agenda against disabled people” and “we do not believe the proposals are morally wrong or unethical”.

Charities Difference North East and Disability North East warned that the impact would be even harsher because of the “devastating and disproportionate” financial hardship suffered by disabled people because of Covid-19 and a decade of austerity.

The charities argued that the policy will not comply with the council’s duty under the Equality Act, and added: “Unlike other benefits, disability benefits have not been increased to help with the additional pressures of the current crisis. We do not feel that adding further financial burden onto disabled people at this time is an appropriate course of action.

“For many disabled people, the ability to use a car and get a parking space is a vital factor in maintaining their independence and their ability to access essential services and support.”

Northumbria University also submitted feedback on behalf of disabled students, reporting that some might even be forced to drop out of university if they cannot afford to pay for parking to attend classes.

The Northern Echo:

In place of the free parking offer, the 50,000 blue badge holders in the North East will be given an extra hour for free in Newcastle’s council-run car parks after their ticket expires – and will still be able to park for free in on-street spaces.

The blue badge plans were first signed off in early 2019, and have caused fury as the council was making around £9 million yearly parking profits before Covid, but civic centre bosses have now decided to finally enact them from July 1.

Liberal Democrat opposition councillor Greg Stone said: “I am appalled by the council’s assertion that they ‘do not believe the proposals are morally wrong or unethical’ and find it  extraordinary that they defend the changes on the grounds that there is unrestricted access to the Shopmobility scheme, which has seen significant reductions to its days of operation.

“The council’s Labour administration has a shameful record when it comes to targeting disabled people for cuts. 

"The administration already generates millions of pounds in surplus from its parking operations, but is making a deliberate choice to remove the blue badge exemption from parking charges.”

As well as the new fees for blue badge holders, the council is also planning to introduce a new £100-a-year parking charge for users of the Shopmobility service and remove Sunday worship permits under parking changes that will generate an extra £115,000 a year for the cash-strapped authority.

However, the council says that its plan is “not intended to generate income but rather to help manage demand in our car parks”.

A spokesperson for Newcastle City Council said: “This change does not affect the national Blue Badge parking scheme and there are more than 2,000 on-street parking spaces in the city centre that people with a Blue Badge will be able to use free of charge.

"More than 100 of these on-street spaces are disabled parking bays, which are located within easy reach of shops and amenities.

“There will continue to be priority parking and accessible bays for disabled people within our car parks and as part of the changes, we are giving people with a Blue Badge an extra hour of free parking to allow for any additional time they may need to return to their vehicle.

“We recognise that a number of drivers, including some Blue Badge holders, will be on lower incomes and may have been affected by the Covid pandemic.

“However, following a review of parking in the city, we are introducing these changes in order to both manage demand for spaces and ensure that there continues to be sufficient accessible and priority parking available for Blue Badge holders.”