York: Council set to approve blue badge parking bays trial

The bays would provide parking spaces for blue badge holders – with no time limit in place – in Lendal, outside the former post office site, and Blake Street, outside Blake House next to McDonald’s, from 10.30am to 6am the next day.

Where the parking bay with one space would be in Lendal (Image: Google)

Blue badge holders would be allowed to park in the streets during hours when they are usually pedestrianised, a City of York Council report states.

Meanwhile, in Davygate blue badge holders would have an allocated parking bay outside Betty’s from 5pm to 6am.

Where the parking bay with two spaces would be in Blake Street (Image: Google)

The bays in Lendal and Blake Street would be used for loading between 6am and 10am.

Davygate would remain closed to vehicles during pedestrianised hours (currently 10.30am to 5pm everyday) with loading to be carried out between 6am and 10am, the council report says.

Five spaces would be introduced – one in Lendal, two in Blake Street and two in Davygate – under the proposals.

Where the two spaces in Davygate would be (Image: Google)

The report says the trial is estimated to cost £10,000 which would cover "signage and lining as well as consultation and monitoring".

It adds that if the parking bays are made permanent this will "require another decision, where any additional costs would be identified".

"There may be additional costs for a permanent order for advertising, signage and lining if any changes are required."

Users of the parking bays will be invited to share feedback on them to the council during the trial so changes can be made if necessary, it says. 

The report recognises that the spaces are limited and says the “main concern is that the bays may be utilised for long durations each day by one or a few vehicles, reducing the capacity for other blue badge holders to park in the area”.

Where the parking bays would be (Image: City of York Council)

But it says the decision to have no time limit for parking followed a consultation with blue badge holders in York.

“The proposal is therefore not to restrict the length of stay in the bays to start with and monitor how this works in practice,” the report adds.

Read next:

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The report admits that restricting loading hours to the morning “will have a negative impact on any business that relies on evening deliveries”.

But it adds: “The provision of loading time in the morning aims to accommodate business needs and remove any concern about the bays being used for long term overnight parking as blue badge holders will need to vacate the spaces between 6am and 10.30am every day.”

The locations of the parking bays were selected to offer the “shortest route possible” to city centre shops, services and venues that some blue badge holders find difficult to use, including cobbled areas, the report says.

“The main benefit of the proposal is that it will allow vehicles displaying a blue badge to park for longer than the three hours,” it continues.

“In the city centre, blue badge parking currently takes place on double yellow lines for a maximum duration of three hours (with a blue badge on display).”

The council’s executive members are due to make a decision on the plans on Tuesday, April 16.