York Human Rights City Network is a member of the Reverse the Ban coalition of 27 local organisations that was formed in the wake of the Council Executive vote in November 2021 to impose a permanent ban on disabled people using their Blue Badge to enter large parts of the city centre. The Reverse the Ban coalition campaign drew on research and other forms of support from the YHRCN, and was explicitly framed in human rights terms, drawing extensively on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Reverse the Ban was delighted that the two local political groups – Labour and Conservative – that had pledged to reverse the ban if elected at the local election on 4th May 2023 both increased their number of seats and Labour took overall control of the Council. The Blue Badge issue was a key influence on the campaign and the outcome was a hugely important statement of support for disabled people’s rights. The permanent ban was lifted by the new Council Labour administration in autumn 2023. The first Blue Badge holders were allowed to enter the footstreets again on 4th January 2024 through one entry and exit point and through a second route just before Easter.
Following our successful reversal of the ban, our website is now closed. Below is an archive of the content, publications, success stories and the impact on York residents.
Who We Are
We are a coalition of charities, associations, action groups and other organisations who aim to reverse the ban on blue badge holders’ access to York’s pedestrian streets.
Our Call to Action
We call on the City of York Council and North Yorkshire Police to enter into meaningful discussions with disabled people; to agree access to the foot streets with sufficient parking spaces, designed in a way that addresses legitimate security concerns.
WE DID IT! DELIVERED MORE THAN 2,700 POSTCARDS TO THE COUNCIL ON 20TH OCTOBER. AN AMAZING ACHIEVEMENT – AND A GREAT PEACEFUL PROTEST DESPITE THE ATROCIOUS WEATHER CONDITIONS! SEE ‘OUR POSTCARD CAMPAIGN PAGE’ FOR MORE!
YouTube Documentary
“I miss when York felt like home.”
“I’m embarrassed that my city does not welcome disabled people and that the council are so dismissive of our rights to move around the city.”
“I fell in love with York age 14 and moved here at 18. Now, age 35, I’m unwelcome.”
We are a coalition of charities, associations, action groups and other organisations who aim to reverse the ban on blue badge holders’ access to York’s pedestrian streets.
We believe people with a Blue Badge should be able to access York’s city centre in 2022 and thereafter, as they could in 2019. We call on the City of York Council and North Yorkshire Police to enter into meaningful discussions with disabled people; to agree access to the foot streets with sufficient parking spaces, designed in a way that addresses legitimate security concerns.
We won! City centre now open to Blue Badge holders
Following the new Labour Council’s decision on 12th October 2023 to reopen the footstreets, the first BB holders were allowed in on 4th January 2024.
WATCH IT HERE AND READ ABOUT IT HERE
On 1st March a second entry route was opened. You can find out about the routes and about where you can park here
Work to further improve access continues. To find out more or to give feedback, phone 01904 5551550 or email CYCAccessTeam@york.gov.uk
If you’re a Blue Badge holder make sure that your contact details are up to date
IN MAY 2025, REVERSE THE BAN WON THE PRESTIGIOUS SCOPE NATIONAL AWARD IN THE COMMUNITY GROUP CATEGORY!
THANKS TO ALL THAT WORKED SO HARD AND SUPPORTED OUR CAMPAIGN!
Related Issues
Our objective is to reverse the ban on blue badge holders’ access to York’s pedestrian streets.
Nevertheless, we recognise that York also faces other important challenges including blue badge parking in other parts of York and access for disabled cyclists. We share information about these challenges and alert members to issues including planning applications, proposed developments and emerging plans.
Member Organisations
Our members come from a wide range of organisations across York.
- Accessible Arts and Media
- Age UK York
- Ageing Without Children (AWOC) York
- Associazione Premio Eleanor Worthington (York-Urbino)
- Different Strokes – York
- Healthwatch York
- Lollipop York
- MySight York
- Older Citizens Advocacy York
- St Sampson’s Social Centre
- The Wilberforce Trust
- Unite Community York
- United Taxi Trade York comprising:
- Station Taxi Association
- Independent Taxi Association
- Hackney Carriage Association
- York Private Hire Association
- York Taxi Action Group
- York Accessibility Action
- York Access Hub
- York Carers Centre
- York CVS
- York Cycle Campaign
- York Dementia Collaborative
- York Disability Rights Forum
- York Human Rights City Network
- York Inspirational Kids (YIKS)
- York LGBT Forum
- York ME Community
- York Older People’s Assembly
- York People First
- York Sight Loss Council
What people have told us about the personal impact of the Blue Badge ban
Updated: 12th February 2023
Below are just a small selection of experiences that disabled people have shared with us ……..
An unbelievable violation of human rights that diminishes the name of this good city
Let my granddaughter back into her city!
In February, during the time of Storm Dennis, it was my 94th birthday, and my family had booked a special lunch at The Ivy. We knew no cars would be allowed, so my daughter and I took a taxi – only to find that was not allowed near, even with my Blue Badge, I had a long (for me) and painful walk, in the wind and rain.
It was even worse after the lunch as we had to walk to a taxi rank and had a long wait, No taxi was available to pick us up. My daughter and I were literally soaked through our coats, and very cold. I now have to go to Monk`s Cross or Vanguard to visit a shop, optician etc. I understand the need to guard against terrorism, but I doubt whether old and/or disabled people are banned from the centre of London. Good luck to your efforts.
Disabled and less mobile people need protecting from discrimination and degrading treatment by the City of York Councillors. These councillors are taking away our freedom, equality, opportunities, our right to socialise and enjoy activities in the city centre. We are patronised with suggestions of cycling, shuttle buses, benches and what’s to say they will even be available when required?
Wheelchairs and mobility scooters don’t work for everyone and the terrain isn’t always suitable anyway. Citing anti-terrorism measures implies that blue badge holders are likely to be engaged in terrorist activities! What have we don’t that offends the council. Why do they hate us so much? This feels like the thin end of the wedge. What have they got planned for us next I ask myself.
I am a 30 year old with a chronic lung condition and I am very limited in the distance which I can walk. My quality of life is severely reduced by the lack of access to York city centre, caused by these draconian measures.
I am a 90 year old disabled lady. You have taken away my rights to be able to go into York centre to meet with friends at various places including St Sampsons Church. Growing old comes to all of us. We can’t stop it.
My 26 year old daughter has been excluded from her own city centre since the introduction of the ban. Having been limited in the first place to what was accessible to her, she is now totally excluded because she is unable to walk from any of the car parks to the shops. Her quality of life has been significantly affected.
My father lived in York for the whole of his life and walked and cycled everywhere until his mid 90s. In the last few years of his life his remaining pleasure was to be driven into the city and where he could manage a short walk. This link with his past added to his well-being. To see this has been taken away from people who pay taxes to live in the city is iniquitous.
I have lived in York 57 yrs and since the blue badge ban I have been unable to access York. This is greatly distressing to me and I feel rejected and unwanted which adds to my isolation.
I have not been in York centre since first lock down.. . I miss being able to sit in a cafe and enjoy a tea or coffee.
I am a university student. My father has recently become disabled due to a workplace accident which will soon require him to undergo amputation. York has come to be my second home which I love to show off to my family and friends when they visit me. My home town is in Kent which means travelling to visit me is a significant task for a disabled person on its own.
It is therefore heartbreaking for me to hear that exclusion will greatly hinder and restrict my ability to show my father this beautiful and historic city that I have come to call home. So much of the culture that made me fall in love with York is found in the city centre which will soon become inaccessible for him. Thus I wholeheartedly support the reversal of this ban. Covid has already prevented me from sharing this city with my family. Thus after shielding for so long in the hopes that one day they could properly visit, this ban effectively ends the ability for me to share the wonders of the city centre with my family.
I am so saddened by the continuing effective ban of disabled people into the city centre, and ashamed of being a York resident (and born here). My mum died last month. She had MS for 40 years. Since the removal of parking and access into the centre, she was no longer able to be taken into town by my father. I was no longer able to take her to see a film at City Screen.
The small things in life that non-disabled people take as granted. Disabled people are workers, consumers, visitors, residents and tourists. But most of all they are human beings…….The Council (of which I also used to have great sympathy for and work at) has unfortunately caused great misery and suffering to disabled people and their families. Access into our city really is that important to people. Please, please reverse the changes. Give disabled people the opportunity to live as others do. Please.
I feel that there is no rhyme or reason for this ban on blue badge holders. I’ve lost my independence and my liberty. I want & need to get into town to spend money. No can do. I strongly object to being told on how to live my life. Disabled peoples’ lives are hard & difficult enough without this ban. It’s a disgrace.
As a disabled person I no longer feel welcome in town, or in the York community. I rarely get into town these days because of access limitations. I can’t bring my kids into the city centre for activities as my son and I are both disabled and he can’t manage buses. I miss feeling like I belong and am welcome here.
My daughter, who is a wheelchair user and who grew up in York and loves to visit now feels excluded and finds it difficult to come home.
It’s ruining this amazing city. Let’s change it for the better & make it accessible for all who wish to shop & take in the wonderful sights of York without having to drive miles out of York.
I’m 50, disabled & have lived in York most of my life. Now that my health has declined I feel it’s cruel to penalise disabled ppl, by removing their right to park within York, just because we have a disability that prevents us from walking far.
I can’t access York anymore!
What else can you take away from disabled people especially disabled children! I had a phone call from CYC last week permanently terminating the transport my disabled 12 year old son receives to take him to his respite – he is a full time, personal assisted wheelchair user. Are you saying, because he is disabled, he doesn’t have a right to be in the city centre like everyone else? That is ridiculous and you should be very embarrassed and ashamed.
I work very hard to ensure my disabled son is included in every aspect of everyday life – I recommend you do the same and give disabled people a break they don’t need this when life is already tough enough! I live in hope of change.
I have not been into town since the parking changed for Blue Badge holders as it has become too inconvenient and would be detrimental to my health with having further to go to access services in the town centre.
Pleasure outings such as to the cinema or for meals out have ceased and I have sought alternative out of town locations for things like the opticians. Shopping I would have done with a quick visit to town is being replaced with online purchases. These examples, combined with many others in a similar situation, must be harming the economy of the city.
Please have a heart for those people unable to get to the shops without being able to park. I used to take my mother in and park outside Brown’s department store, where she could buy most things she needed plus she could get to Hotters shoe shop with her walking aid. Now she would be unable to do that.
I know how much she enjoyed being able to choose and do things for herself. To take away people’s independence is heartless.
Reverse the Ban was selected in the autumn of 2022 as a partner for postgraduate students at York Law School, University of York, to conduct independent research on an agreed area of study. The chosen topic was ‘The Blue Badge Test in York: Can the realisation of disabled people’s rights and the prevention of terrorism be reconciled?‘ Overall, the findings suggest that the Blue Badge ban in York is not proportionate to the threat to life from terrorist activity and that the rights of disabled people were given insufficient weight in the decision-making. There were 18 Key Findings, each of which were carefully evidenced.
The study took place between October 2022 and February 2023. The reseachers interviewed counter-terror academics and disability rights academics including from University of Oxford, London School of Economics, University of Leeds, and Durham University; the former-Superintendent of North Yorkshire Police; a disability expert; a city planner; an access expert; the founder of York Access Hub and the York ME Community; and the Chair of CYC’s Protect and Prepare (Counter Terrorism) Task Group.
The full study was published on 5th April 2023 and is available by clicking here
Reverse the Ban was selected in the autumn of 2022 as a partner for postgraduate students on the MA in Applied Human Rights course at the University of York, to conduct independent research on an agreed area of study. The chosen topic was the City of York’s approach to consultation during the process leading up to the decision to impose the permanent ban. Their report, published 5th April 2023 is called ‘Nothing about us without us’: A qualitative analysis of City of York Council’s local transport and access consultation practice 2020-2022 and is available by clicking here.
The researchers conducted thirteen semi-structured interviews with a range of local activists, local residents, consultants, and charity spokespeople. Specific quotes from CYC as to their intentions in their consultations were used as a benchmark from which participants could reflect on their actual experiences of the consultations. In addition the researchers used the Gunning Principles as laid out in the Local Government Association national guidelines to provide an independent measure against which to evaluate CYC actions.
Their five core findings were that the council failed to: (i) ‘care and respect others’ views’ (CYC, 2017), (ii) ‘support and enable individuals and communities’ (CYC, 2017) in both day-to-day situations and in their decision-making processes; (iii) use the social model of disability in consultations, policy language, and public interactions with local activists, local residents, and charity spokespeople; (iv) co-produce local transport and access policy with local residents, specifically members of the disabled community; (v) adhere to the Gunning Principles two and four.
Additional publications of interest
Martin Higgitt Associates – York City Centre Active Travel Final Report October 2021 – a report commissioned by City of York Council and which, among other things, suggests ways of enabling Blue Badge holders to continue to access parts of the city centre.
York Human Rights City Network – Human Rights Report on Blue Badge Exclusion in York, October 2021 – a report requested by the Human Rights and Equalities Board for guidance on how the Council can best respect the human rights of all when taking complex decisions concerning counter-terror and disabled people’s rights.
Our summer postcard campaign kept our cause in the public eye and, most importantly, gave a voice to disabled people and supporters. We encouraged people to complete a postcard – addressed to the Leader of the Lib-Dem-Green Council Administration – and get their family, friends, and work colleagues to do so at sites around the city, including on the streets from time to time, or by emailing us.
A big THANK YOU to everyone that joined in. We had an AMAZING response!
What Happened?
We collected 2,700+ postcards, of which almost 800 had personal comments added. They were presented to the City of York Council Meeting on THURSDAY 20th OCTOBER where 4 Reverse the Ban members were allowed to speak for 3 minutes each. You can listen on the 20th October Council webcast. They are from 11.56 to 15.05 mins and again from 18.28 to 34.08 mins. And you can watch the moment the postcards’ sacks were handed in!
Disabled people and supporters braved the atrocious weather on the night to mount a peaceful protest ahead of the start of the meeting. Countless others were with us in spirit. We’re delighted to report important subsequent impacts at a Council Scrutiny Meeting on 7th Nov; with York Health & Wellbeing Board on 16th Nov deciding to pause the city’s bid for WHO Age Friendly City status because of the Ban; and with the Council Executive deciding on 22nd Nov to start to properly regulate pavement cafes! Now we just need to get the ban reversed!
