Subject: Disability-Friendly City
Date of meeting: 1 October 2026
Proposer: Cllr Anne Meadows
Seconder: Cllr Carol Theobald
Ward(s) affected: All
Notice of Motion
This council notes that:
1) red routes in London Road, Lewes Road and potentially Western Road make parking for blue badge holders and the elderly significantly more difficult;
2) better accessibility to the beach for wheelchair users is required;
3) higher parking fees affect blue badge holders and the elderly to a greater extent because they rely on their cars even more than able-bodied users;
4) lack of focus on dangerously uneven paving and obstructions such as advertising A-boards which take up a significant amount of pavement space add to the challenges the disabled and elderly face;
5) the roll-out of EV charging points without public consultation has potentially made it harder for blue badge holders and the elderly to park close to home;
6) That disabled bays are not always fit for purpose;
7) huge investment has been focused on cycling and e-scooters to the detriment of the disabled and elderly through the removal or moving of disabled bays and busier and more dangerous pavements;
8) all the above, along with the debate around Wellington House, highlight a lack of focus on the lives of the disabled and elderly.
This council resolves to:
1) Request that the relevant Overview & Scrutiny Committee considers the establishment of a task & finish group to explore how the council can improve the lives of disabled and blue badge holders by having a disabled-first approach to council policies.