WHEELCHAIR users claim their views were not sought over plans to remove disabled parking bays in Colchester town centre.

Colchester Council wants to remove 23 spaces reserved for blue badge holders as part of plans to close the High Street to cars and other vehicles during the day.

Ten disabled spaces in Head Street would also be moved to make room for a new taxi rank under the pedestrianisation scheme.

But local disabled societies and individual wheelchair users say they have not been consulted about the plans. They also feel proposed alternative blue badge parking areas are unsuitable.

Wheelchair user Jade Hamnett, of Brook Street, Colchester, acting chairman of Fair Access to Colchester, raised the issue at a council meeting.

She said she had tried in vain to get the council to show her an equality impact assessment or consultation results connected with the High Street pedestrianisation.

She had made 15 attempts at meetings, through phone calls, e-mails and even Freedom of Information requests, but had yet to get an answer.

She added: “This will have a huge impact on people with mobility problems. It will also increase the burden on carers.

“Sadly, Colchester is making the town centre inaccessible to many disabled people with these plans.

“I will lose a lot of independence when I try to use the town.”

Miss Hamnett, 24, said the proposed alternative blue badge sites, including those in Vineyard Street, Priory Street and St. Mary’s car parks, were inadequate.

Council leader Anne Turrell told her: “I take your point that you seem to have not been kept informed.

“I will arrange for you to meet officers to go through your proposals.”

Rowena Macaulay, 47, access officer at Essex University, also a wheelchair user, criticised the council for its lack of consultation. Speaking after the meeting, she said: “If you’re going to put up proposals to the public which are likely to upset people, you should find out about the major issues first.

“We didn’t see any plans until they were in glossy print.

“They should have shown a genuine intent to understand the users’ needs.”

Fair Access to Colchester has made further objections to the decision to ban private hire cabs from the High Street. It says many disabled people rely on phone-booked cabs to get into the town centre.

The group wants blue badge holders to be allowed to continue using the High Street.

It says number plate recognition technology would be able to verify their entitlement to be there. It also wants alternative disabled parking in Culver Street West on non-market days.

COUNCIL: WE DID HEED THEIR VIEWS
Colchester Council says it is satisfied everyone was properly consulted about the proposals. The council and its partner in the scheme, Essex County Council, spent a month seeking the reactions of residents, businesses and local groups. A council spokesman said a week-long exhibition on the plans in the town centre had been attended by more than 500 people, she added. Questionnaires about the reallocation of disabled parking were given to all those who came along. The plans were also available on its main website and Better Town Centre website. Lyn Barton, councillor responsible for the town centre revamp, said: “The consultation took place over a number of months and has been well publicised. It was easily accessible through a variety of media. “Council officers have continued to meet a large number of access groups, including Fair Access to Colchester, alongside other interested parties, to talk through the proposals and listen and respond to concerns. “Amendments have been made to the proposals in response to the consultation and there will be a net gain in disabled parking spaces. “We will be meeting these groups in the coming days to discuss their individual concerns in further detail.”