A popular shopping street will close to all traffic except bicycles for six hours a day every day despite the objections of disabled groups.
The decision to shut Gardner Street, in Brighton, from 11am to 5pm daily divided councillors because of the adverse effect on people with disabilities including at least one resident of the street.
The disabled parking bays in Gardner Street will be removed and more created in nearby Regent Street, members of Brighton and Hove City Council were told.
The Greens voted in favour of the changes at a meeting of the council’s Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee at Hove Town Hall on Tuesday evening (15 November).
The Conservatives voted against the measures and Labour abstained, meaning that the proposals were approved.
The meeting was addressed by Geraldine Des Moulins, chief officer of Possability People, which promotes social inclusion for disabled people.
She said that the closure would impose a curfew on disabled people, “imprisoning them in their own homes” for six hours a day every day.
It would prevent them, she said, “from being able to attend essential health appointments or leave the area for any reason, which will compromise their health and wellbeing”.
She added: “This is a human rights issue and a safeguarding risk.
“The only mitigation offered is that additional blue badge bays are placed in nearby Regent Street (where) blue badge holders are already permitted to park for a limited period.
“This ‘mitigation’ does nothing to compensate for taking away the current bays.
“A further issue that has not been addressed is the distance from Regent Street to Gardner Street. People qualifying for a blue badge may not be able to walk or, if they can, for only very short distances.
“The ‘mitigation’ means, to access the street, blue badge holders would have to walk at least 150 metres to 200 metres or more – and that is just one way.
“No individual who is in receipt of a ‘mobility component’ can walk more than 200 metres. This is not a mitigation but discriminates against 13,500 residents who are blue badge holders.
“Apart from blue badge holders, Gardner Street needs to remain accessible for taxis, NHS ambulances or volunteer drivers in order for drop-offs and pick-ups to be made for essential appointments.
“The proposal is making this area a ‘no go’ area for disabled residents and visitors. The ‘purple pound’ is thought to be worth £249 billion and is expected to increase year on year. Disabled people are customers too.”
Not everyone was opposed to the proposal. Brighton Business Improvement District chief executive Gavin Stewart spoke in favour of the closing the road to cars, vans and lorries.
Mr Stewart said that business owners had wanted the road to be pedestrianised for years. And during the coronavirus pandemic, the road was closed to traffic except for cyclists and those requiring disabled access – a move welcomed by traders.
Cafés, restaurants and a pub expanded into the road – as they currently do at weekends – but restricting the road to blue badge holders was “open to abuse”.
A report to councillors also said that delivery drivers currently abused the existing disabled parking bays in Gardner Street as part of the council’s justification for removing those bays.
Conservative councillor Robert Nemeth said that disability campaigners had made the case that the council’s proposals went against the government’s equalities guidance published last December.
He asked how moving the nearest disabled bay some 90 metres – from the Gardner Street shops to neighbouring Regent Street – would “mitigate” removing existing bays given that people with blue badges who claimed personal independence payments (PIP) were unable to walk 50 metres.
Councillor Nemeth said: “The (government) publication emphasises the importance of consultation at the outset and throughout.
“There is a specific line: ‘Car parking should be accessible and easy to use with designated accessible spaces as close as possible to shops and services for on-street parking.’ What’s the response to campaigners who point this out?”
Highways regulations manager David Fisher said that the rules did not specify a distance from parking spaces to visitor attractions – and the bays would be as close as possible to Gardner Street.
Labour councillor Gary Wilkinson said that the road should also be closed to cyclists as other pedestrianised streets were across Brighton and Hove.
He said that the mix of cyclists and more “street furniture” during the hours of the proposed closure would be dangerous for pedestrians.
Councillor Wilkinson said: “Anybody who has visited Gardner Street during its current closure periods will be aware of how congested that space is for pedestrians.
“Shared spaces work better for pedestrians where there is sufficient space. When volumes of users become too high, the space becomes uncomfortable for both people walking and cycling.”
But his proposed addition of cyclists to the ban on cars, vans and lorries was rejected.
The daily closure was originally intended to run from 11am to 7pm and the proposal was due to go before councillors in September.
But the decision was delayed because of concerns about access for people with disabilities and, after further consultation, the proposed hours of closure were shortened from 11am to 5pm.
The decision went through thanks to the votes of four Green councillors while the Conservatives voted against the move and Labour abstained.
Utter cowardice from Labour to abstain and not even address issues for blue badge users, never can they claim they stick up for the most vulnerable in society. Of course the Greens have pushed this through and its another good example of how the local nuts ignore their own national policy on bb access.The council have really opened a can of worms when there own Equalities Impact Assessment and previous independent report said closing the street would disadvantage blue badge users the most. The previous temporary arrangement where blue badge users only could access the street worked well, (even the traders accepted that), But Green councilors and what looks like a personal crusade by transport officer David Fisher where in no mood for compromise.
City of Sanctuary what a load of rubbish. Pretty much ashamed of our Green and Labour councillors today.
It is clear the Greens simply don’t care about disabled rights. And pretty spineless action by Labour
Lwbour councillor Gary Wiloinson spoke against the proposal yet followed the party line and abstained?
The cowardly Labour councillors are even more of a “washout” than the Greens, who are just blinded by their obsession with cycling. City of Sanctuary? That’s a laugh for a start. Just don’t vote for either party when election time cones around.
This action only makes me feel i can not vote for the Greens or Labour as they do not consider anybody
There are 100s of fully pedestrianised high streets across the UK. Are the Tories really claiming that these go against govt guidance? Are indoor shopping centres also against guidance, as you can drive through them either?
Missing the point really Mary no objections to say the pedestrianisation of Sydney Street because there were NO blue badge bays – no issues. However two major disability groups in the city where asking for proper mitigation because of the removal of blue badge bays in Gardner Street used by both residents and visitors – the councils own EIA said bays in Regent Street do not work.
Have you ever met anybody who lives inside an indoor shopping centre, Mary? Or been to any indoor shopping centres where cyclists can ride around among the pedestrians? High streets can be pedestrianised while maintaining blue badge access. As Gardner Street was previously. And without allowing bikes to ride around among pedestrians dangerously too. Because adults don’t actually need to cycle on pavements and it’s illegal.
The council can provide disabled access. Can comply with its legal duties. But is just choosing not to. Presumably because it would just prefer to exclude disabled people from Brighton altogether. While prioritising cyclists aa though they have some sort of special status.
Don’t be silly Mary, people don’t live inside a shopping centre. However at least one disabled person lives on this street. There is a duty to provide parking as close as possible for mobility access. In this Instance, the access is already there. The Council, supported actively by Greens and passively by Labour are removing access knowing that it will imprison a resident for 6 hours a day, unable to get to their medical appointments never mind any other ‘ordinary activities’ that you probably take for granted. This is a clear breach of the Equalities Act, Human Rights, Govt Guidance and the City’s own (empty) commitment to make ours a Fairer and Stronger City for All.
Hi Mary, unfortunately pedestrianised areas often don’t work for older or disabled people. They work for people that can move well. My older relatives were no longer able to go into their town centre when it was pedestrianised as they weren’t able to be close enough to the shops. Pedestrianisation isn’t the panacea that it sounds like it’s just that no-one notices if certain groups are ‘missing’ from places such as older folk. Even a small bit of road closing like Sydney St does cause problems if you can’t get a vehicle close enough.
Presumably anyone who lives on Gardner Street lives in an upstairs flat?
And your point is? Is there no such thing as a stairlift? Can people with disabilities not live in flats? Do the residents in Gardner Street have fraudulent blue badges – of course not.
What was wrong with keeping the previous arrangement where blue badge users ONLY had access. No accidents, it kept some through access for pedestrians, (because it prevented street furniture clutter), and worked well.
You expect this from the Greens, (Madeira Drive Closure, Seafront Blue Badge Bays, bus gates etc), but Labour should know better. It’s no good denying there is a coalition and then propping up some of the maddest and most discriminatory decisions.
An appalling decision, which shows the Greens lack of understanding and genuine care to address disabled access and a failure to adhere to their own city accessible strategy. I hope this decision is challenged and changed. How can the Labour Party abstain, what does it say about them …
An atrocious and unacceptable decision.
Clearly, the Council has acted illegally by discriminating against disabled people. The bhcc twitter feed is constant psychobabble about how right on and woke they are, yet they deliberately discriminate against a vulnerable group. The Greens are truly inhumane
This council and these councillors appear not to understand their legal duties. Trapping disabled residents in their homes for 6 hours every day cannot be justified. Excluding other disabled people from the street also cannot be justified. Shared spaces for bikes and pedestrians are very obviously dangerous and anybody injured should hold the council responsible. And removing disabled bays because they are being abused by non-disabled people? In the case in the photograph – by a cyclist! The council seriously thinks that’s a suitable response? It’s the council’s responsibility to make sure spaces are not abused. Not to just give up and deny access to disabled people. That demonstrates that the council is no better than the people who abuse the spaces. Same goes for the ridiculous argument that disabled access to the street generally would be abused. Manage it properly then. Do your job. This council and these councillors are reaching new lows and should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.
So there you have it .
The Greens don’t care about the disabled – they just don’t fit into the hip, woke, ableist agenda.
Truly sickening – and I hope Nemesis visits the abhorrent Green councillors who pushed this through
Why is it always questioning disable people as if they are lying about their disability or not disabled enough. Everyone should be able to access the street. I am a cyclist and I disagree with the decision. I feel let down by both parties.
Scandalous the way the disabled are treated in Brighton and Hove!
The gentrification of Brighton continues. No longer a working town, with something for everyone, but a fascist-run town, favouring the young and the fit. Disabled people shouldn’t have to be fighting for their rights, they should be protected and cared for, in a compassionate, civilised society. I am terrified by what is going on in Brighton. I see the imposition of an ideology which is setting one group of people (young and/or fit) against another (elderly and/or disabled). It is wrong.
It don’t get any worse than this, anywhere in this country.
Can the “Greens” be more honest and rename their party to “Bricycles”.
It just seems so bizarre as to how this council ignores disabled people and disabled access in all of their projects.
Well… talk about being disabled by the council for some supposed so-called profit.
It’s like … these temporarily able people do not have the ability to see that enabling accessibility for people with mix-dis+Abilities, enables us not only to survive, but work and contribute to our community too, let alone get from our cars to our homes.
Relocating or effectively banning disability parking spaces from streets, then gaslighting the unaware to justify it!
…. What next! Banning guide Dogs on the street?
Is it really such a futile investment or that hard to let a person have access to their own street and home!!
How do these people expect us to live? What do you think they think we do, sit around in the i360 all day? Is that what we are supposed to do?? Labours’ absence is simply disabling.
Do hope the Greens apologise, and recognise it would be worthwhile for our whole community to just an additional accessible car parking spaces to every street and restrict this road’s use to Bicycle AND Disabled (by the council?) PEOPLE’s parking, if anything.
This being Brighton and Hove and all, these politicians should be more careful.. wouldn’t surprise me if someone came along and painted a rainbow of accessible parking spaces along the whole street. Wouldn’t be me, I’d not even make the walk without a risk seizure or blinding pain and migraine.
Maybe someone can give me a lift on their handlebars? Don’t mind my shopping … or are we supposed to get a taxi from our carparking spaces to our homes now?
So a few Green Party members pushed this through and the Greens weren’t elected in? This decision was about disabled people being able to be on Gardner St and they ignored their own Equalities Impact Assessment, disabled people’s organisations weren’t consulted and disabled people’s rights are chucked in the bin. It’s another ism like sexism and racism and they don’t get it. I’m sorry I ever voted green, they’ve lost me. Minorities are there to be supported as they’ll never be a majority, that’s the whole point. And it sounds like Labour didn’t bother to say anything about disabled people’s rights? They abstained? Councillors get a payment, they are local politicians and supposed to make decisions, and labour couldn’t be bothered, or is there some weird deal going on. How on earth is any of this social justice or inclusion.
It is very distressing to witness what is going on in this city. I admired the Green Party when they were purely an environmental pressure group, but as a political party I fear they are displaying characteristics common to European fascist movements in the early part of the 20th Century – which also drew people in by appealing to a rational mindset. I see parallels with both the ‘Volksgemeinschaft’ (People’s Community) – which sought to crush the rights of the individual, and the ideal of the ‘New Man’- which glorified youth, physical strength and self-sacrifice (viz. Himmler: “We have no right to be weak”), and set the young against the old (viz. Goebbels: The old ones … defend their power to the last. But one day they will be defeated…”). Rigid thinking is leading to an extreme ideology, and ordinary people are jumping on a bandwagon which they think is acting for the ‘common good’ (a term which also has its problems) – they don’t realise what they are doing. Even if there is only one disabled person living on that street, the rights of that person must be protected – otherwise we have lost everything. Both ableism and ageism are problems that too many seem willing to ignore.
As the relative of a stroke survivor, the Greens have lost the votes of myself and our family. The signs have been there for some time and while I’m reluctant to draw comparisons with fascism, it’s hard to disagree with Soph. It’s genuinely alarming they think this is okay. Labour need to locate their spine tho. Time and again, only the Tories are speaking up for the old, the frail and those with physical and mental disabilities. I don’t want to vote Tory but, locally at least, I’m being painted into a corner.
gated community in reverse: no disabled, thanks as we cannot be arsed to sort it out equitably = and the technocratic officers run the place
I don’t know why the Brighton Green don’t just rename themselves as Bricycles or Sustrans and have done with it. Disgraceful behaviour towards the rights of disabled residents. The voters won’t forget come 2023..
Every day I see cyclists In Brighton & Hove riding on pavements, sometimes at great speed and often round corners. “No Cycling” signs are totally ignored by cyclists along Hove seafront, where there are already two adjacent cycle lanes. And that is apart from those who prefer to ride in the main road, while complaining about the presence of cars. In St Ann’s Well Garden, I have seen cyclists riding along the narrow paths, also ignoring the signs. Of course it could be that many of them are totally ignorant, never having learnt to read. B&H council are happy to ignore this breach of the law, and the police are not interested. So what hope will there be for pedestrians in Gardner Street, if cycling is permitted – sorry encouraged – there? To the Green Party, only cyclists matter, certainly not the pedestrians, and definitely not the disabled. They are a hypocritical disgrace to the community and the sooner they get kicked out the better.
Once again the green council are showing that people with disabilities are not going to get in the way of their grand plan to remove all cars from the city, and yet again labour are lying down and letting themselves be walked over by their green masters
What a way to treat disabled people – I thought Brighton & Hove was supposed to be an inclusive city. This is the year of the disabled and yet again an ableist decision has been made totally ignoring and excluding a section of our community.