Worthing blue badge holders fight back against plans to move disabled bays

Plans to move disabled parking bays in Worthing have sparked anger amongst blue badge holders.
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Works began in July last year for a new pedestrianised area in Montague Place, that would link the seafront and Worthing town centre as well as host community events and mini-festivals.

This was part of a plan, drawn up by Worthing Borough Council,  to create an ‘attractive, pedestrianised avenue’, but involved losing the disabled spaces in the street.

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The borough council said it worked with West Sussex County Council to draw up permanent plans to ‘relocate and enhance’ the blue badge and general parking provision in the area.

Plans to move disabled parking bays in Worthing have sparked anger amongst blue badge holders. SUS-220215-102200001Plans to move disabled parking bays in Worthing have sparked anger amongst blue badge holders. SUS-220215-102200001
Plans to move disabled parking bays in Worthing have sparked anger amongst blue badge holders. SUS-220215-102200001

In a report compiled by the council last year, it said these were due to be in addition to the extra disabled parking bays in the Liverpool Gardens car park and temporary bays on Marine Parade outside Marks & Spencer, which were provided when the road closure was introduced in 2020.

However, the traffic regulation order covering this scheme (WOR9019MM) has caused uproar amongst disabled people, who feel there are minimal ‘safe’ spaces to unload equipment, or even a person in a Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV), safely. 

“Going into the town centre is already difficult as it is,” said blue badge holder and Worthing resident, Sophie Watts.

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“Disabled parking is an absolute nightmare normally. When most people go to the town centre over the weekend, there are no spaces available.

The traffic regulation order has caused uproar amongst disabled people, who feel there are minimal ‘safe’ spaces to unload equipment, or even a person in a Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV), safely. SUS-220215-102211001The traffic regulation order has caused uproar amongst disabled people, who feel there are minimal ‘safe’ spaces to unload equipment, or even a person in a Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV), safely. SUS-220215-102211001
The traffic regulation order has caused uproar amongst disabled people, who feel there are minimal ‘safe’ spaces to unload equipment, or even a person in a Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV), safely. SUS-220215-102211001

“You have to park on double yellows, which are available to you but it’s dangerous and you don’t want to have to park on them.

“We are not disabled Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm. We can’t park in our own bays in the evenings.

“They want to get rid of bays, which are at a premium, and put them somewhere silly and further away.

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“They want to replace the eight bays with three loading bays. This will benefit businesses and not disabled people.”

Sophie Watts said disabled parking is an 'absolute nightmare' in Worthing Town Centre SUS-220215-102139001Sophie Watts said disabled parking is an 'absolute nightmare' in Worthing Town Centre SUS-220215-102139001
Sophie Watts said disabled parking is an 'absolute nightmare' in Worthing Town Centre SUS-220215-102139001

The borough council said the town centre is the ‘vibrant heart of Worthing’, adding: “We are committed to ensuring it can be enjoyed by everyone.

“We introduced new disabled parking bays outside Marks & Spencer in Marine Parade almost two years ago, when we closed Montague Place to traffic to allow increased social distancing in the area to make visitors safer during the pandemic. 

“We liaised with disabled access groups to ensure everyone’s voices could be heard and have not received a single complaint about the issue before now.

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“In specific response to the pedestrianisation of Montague Place, we have already created additional disabled parking bays in the Montague Quarter car park and new oversized disability bays will be made permanent outside Marks & Spencer so there is no loss of provision in the town centre.

“We will continue to look for ways to make Worthing even more accessible for everyone and would encourage anyone who has ideas about that to contact us.”

In 2020, town centre road closures were blamed for forcing disabled and less mobile people away. Click here to read more. 

Sophie said she fought to get four of the eight current bays reopened. 

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A petition has been set up, calling for the spaces to remain where they are, as they are ‘integral for safe, disabled access’ to Worthing Town Centre. 

More than 600 people have signed so far. 

Sophie added: “A lot of people in Worthing are backing this because it’s ridiculous. People are aggrieved about. 

“There’s not much we can do, now the consultation is closed.  We can’t really have our say but we are trying to work around that.

“They didn’t bother asking the disabled community. They kept it quiet and that’s what’s really annoyed us.”

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West Sussex County Council said to ‘ensure that there is no loss of disabled parking provision’, additional parking bays are being installed in an off-street car park by Worthing Borough Council.

A spokesperson added: “The plans for the remodelling of Montague Place to provide a community space in the town centre for the benefit of all residents were promoted jointly by the County Council and Worthing Borough Council. It has been the subject of extensive local consultation.

“Comments and objections to the plans as published were accepted by post, email and via a response form on the council website. 

“We also letter dropped all residents in the road and all businesses. We offered to post paper copies to people without internet access.

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“In addition and prior to this formal consultation Worthing Borough Council carried out their own informal consultation on the proposal with local residents and other interested groups. 

“Many responses were received — both supportive and in opposition to the proposals. All comments and objections were fully taken into account and many were responded to through direct discussions with those raising them.

“All valid objections were successfully resolved with those raising them.”

Sophie said there are ‘suitable alternatives’ to the council’s plans, adding: “Time will tell if they listen.

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“They want to put five parklets in. They can easily be put outside M&S and be suitable to both parties.

“Why can’t they put the parklets where they will be seen to everyone going through Worthing?

“Why replace our suitable bays and take away what we really need, just to put few plant boxes there.

“Why did they think these plant boxes would be more important than our safety?”