From July 2021, Newcastle City Council are changing the free disabled parking in city centre car parks so that blue badge holders need to pay.

Disabled people face an average extra cost of £583 a month (Scope) because of their disability and many are in financial hardship. Newcastle has 2 main hospitals, The RVI and The Freeman, which are both often difficult to park at, so many disabled people rely on using City Centre free parking close by to attend their regular appointments. Newcastle Council have commented saying that there are 2,000 'on street parking' places still available for free, but for most disabled people on street parking isn't safe. Having to get a ramp out into a busy road, having to transfer a disabled person from a passenger seat on a main road, having cars block you from behind and also the lack of dropped curbs is just some of the reasons why on-street parking is unsuitable for many disabled people. Unlike car parks, they don't have hashed lines around the full car which enable wheelchair users to get around the vehicle safely and being on a busy road is dangerous. Paying for the parking itself looks like it's going to be via phone, and I'd like to know if that has been tested for it's accessibility. I think a number of disabled people are going to struggle paying for their parking because of the new systems. I also have concerns because I do not feel that there's adequate signage telling people that there's a change in parking charges - at one car park there was no sign on the parking machine but 3/5 signs in a small font on a blue badge space you would easily miss. Finally, various organisations such as Northumbria Uni have already objectified to this saying it could even stop disabled people from accessing education. I know from a personal level it would stop me from socialising, attending hospital appointments (medical) and wanting to visit Newcastle (emotional). I think a decision has been made about this without proper consultation with disability groups, so I would therefore like you to reconsider your actions.