Discriminating against the disabled
Although no motorist wants the proposed 'pay to park' scheme in Eastbourne town centre, I am concerned over a different aspect of it.
The council's present proposals for the town centre are not parking but loading restrictions. They allow parking in the area concerned if we pay, but no loading is permitted at all. Neither East Sussex County Council nor Eastbourne Borough Council have spoken about this nor do they seem to have realised its implications.
Often I am the driver for my brother-in-law, who lives in Eastbourne and has legs which can give way at any time without warning; he cannot walk safely without support so he has a blue badge. He also has a learning disability so he cannot use one of those electric scooters which allow most physically disabled people to get around.
I have to stop the car as close to the destination as possible and help him out of the car and into the building, and somewhere where he can sit down.
The office in Gildredge Road has confirmed that the new scheme makes it illegal for me to stop my car on a yellow line and unload my handicapped brother-in-law in this way even if I move my car away after he is safely settled.
This means that shopping trips to the town centre zone will be impossible for him; attending entertainment in the area which he has enjoyed in the past will also not be possible.
In my view this is discrimination against those people who are doubly disabled in this way.
This is clearly a case of discrimination. Is the council going to waste further council taxpayers money defending a court case under the Disability Discrimination Act? Please remove the loading restrictions which are proposed, leaving it as a waiting restriction.
Michael Allen, Church Avenue, Westham
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Weather for Eastbourne
Thursday 09 February 2012
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Temperature: -1 C to 3 C
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