Council insists removal of 38 disabled parking bays 'will not impact' Blue Badge holders

It argues that the removal of bays “will enable a more efficient allocation of parking provision”, reports Joe Ives, Local Democracy Reporter

The removal of nearly 40 disabled parking bays across Haringey “will not have an adverse impact on Blue Badge holders”, the council insists.

Last week (Thursday 20th), Haringey Council agreed to remove 38 disabled parking bays across the borough – to be replaced with residents parking permit spaces “where appropriate”.

The decision, published on Monday (24th), was formally signed off by Ann Cunningham, the local authority’s head of highways and parking.

The move follows a statutory consultation, held between 18th March and 8th April this year, on council proposals to remove up to 44 disabled parking bays across Haringey.

After receiving 59 responses listed as ‘neutral’ or supportive – as well as 28 objections – the council has decided to proceed with all but six of the removals.

In a report, council officers said that removing the disabled persons parking bays “will not have an adverse impact on Blue Badge holders”.

This, officers added, had been “demonstrated by the feedback received during the consultation”.

Instead, it was argued that the removal of the bays “will enable a more efficient allocation of parking provision by eliminating bays that are no longer required improving overall parking availability and utilisation for residents and other road users”.

The report continued: “Objections have been upheld in respect of six of the proposed removals, as evidence of parking activity was observed at these locations, indicating that those dedicated disabled parking bays provide essential support for disabled residents requiring accessible parking in close proximity to their homes.”

The local authority says the move is part of its “ongoing review programme” of disabled persons’ parking bays, with spaces “periodically assessed where evidence suggests that a bay may be underused or no longer required”.

The council argues that its policy helps “ensure the efficient allocation of parking provision by removing bays that are no longer required and thereby improving overall parking availability and utilisation”.

The changes will cost an estimated £11,000, including the fees related to the making of traffic orders.

The council also agreed to move forward with the introduction of new waiting, loading and parking changes at various locations across the borough.

A separate, three-week statutory consultation for these proposals was carried out earlier this year. In a report, the local authority said that “no objections or representations” were made regarding the alterations.

The approved changes will see new “double kerb blips” on Clarendon Road, N8 and Jarrow Road, N17. They also include new double-yellow lines on Hurst Avenue N6 and North Hill, N6.

On Myddleton Road, N22, four metres of double yellow lines will be used to shorten a pay by phone/permit holder parking bay.

The “estimated implementation cost” to the council for introducing these measures is set to come in at between £6,000 to £8,000.

The council said the changes to parking restrictions will “improve the visibility, sightlines and traffic flow for pedestrians, cyclists and other road users”.

The “minor changes” to parking and loading areas, meanwhile, are designed to help “meet needs of residents, visitors, shoppers and business owners where possible”.

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