London borough forced to U-turn 'isolating' plans to charge Blue Badge holders amid widespread backlash
WATCH: An MP asks Keir Starmer about Blue Badge thefts in Parliament
PARLIAMENT UK
A local authority in London has been forced to U-turn its controversial parking policy after receiving heavy backlash from the community.,
Bromley Council announced it would no longer introduce parking charges for Blue Badge holders in all council-owned car parks across the borough.
The move, which was proposed in November last year, would have meant Blue Badge holders would be subject to new charges to help plug a deficit hole.
But now after numerous complaints and a petition which garnered more than 5,700 signatures, the Conservative-led authority has been forced to reconsider.
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Bromley Council hoped the parking charges would raise £50,000
GETTY
The petition launched by Karl Graham warned that the proposal to introduce parking charges will put “undue pressure on local residents”.
He said: “Now more than ever, access to public spaces like Norman Park is incredibly important. It is not just a park but a lifeline for many in the community, from fitness enthusiasts to families who relish its beauty and serenity.”
Councillor Nicholas Bennett explained that the parking charges would help close the deficit which is forecasted to reach over £53million in 2026/27 and “there was a need to identify significant savings”.
But having heard concerns from the community, Bennet added that he decided the borough does "not need to introduce Blue Badge charges" as it now has other proposals for a balanced budget in 2025/26 and the forecast "budget deficit" for 2026/27 has reduced to £26.6million.
The parking plans hoped to raise an additional income of £50,000 for the council by charging Blue Badge holders who could park for free.
Blue Badges play a vital role in enabling disabled individuals to access parking facilities closer to their destinations. The permits help disabled individuals by allowing them to work, socialise, and carry out everyday activities.
Bennett said: “Local councils across the country have issued Section 114 notices or are seeking Exceptional Financial Support from the Government to borrow large sums or sell assets to balance their budgets, or to increase council tax way above the 4.99 per cent limit.”
“Because of our strict budgetary policy over many years and our transformation programme, we do not face this problem. However, we still have challenging decisions to make in the coming years unless the government brings in fair funding for local Government.”
But Labour MP Liam Conlon for Beckenham and Penge warned that it was clear the plan to charge people Blue Badge users “would not have raised the revenue” the council claimed but would have “forced disabled people into isolation”.
He stated that the proposals and subsequent delay before “finally U-turning has caused undue stress for disabled residents and sends all the wrong signals to people he is meant to stand up for".
Meanwhile, Councillor Alisa Igoe said charging Blue Badge holders to park would have been a “heartless” decision which took “little thought” into how this would affect disabled residents.
She explained how many Councillors viewed the proposal as weak, full of holes and had “obviously been decided on without investigation” into who they were “hurting with such a callous decision”.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Blue Badge holders are entitled to cheaper or free parking around the UKGETTYAccording to Department for Transport data, there are currently 2.5 million Blue Badge holders in the UK, up from 2.4 million in 2022.
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