Blue badge holders caught up in People Friendly Streets row

Jane Batchelor, 61, says she found out about Wiltshire Council’s plans to introduce pedestrianisation measures in the city centre through a newsletter from South Wilts Mencap that she came across at the start of last month. She has a blue badge due to her son Sebastien being affected by a learning disability.

She said: “Not one of the four friends I have spoken to have received anything from the council regarding this and I have had a blue badge for 22 years. I just wonder who these 1,500 letters went to?”

Wiltshire Council admitted some residents with blue badges weren’t on its database. Blue badge holders are eligible for a free permit, which can be requested on the council’s website. However, Mrs Batchelor says the process to obtain one is “confusing”.

“It’s all digital but [the process] implies you’re going to be sent an email, which I don’t think you are, and one of my friends was panicking a bit. It’s a bit confusing,” she added.

“You looking at the whole system and for me, you either go no cars whatsoever or you just keep it as it is. My son is 22 but I still can’t wander around without keeping an eye on him because you’ve still got buses, taxis. It’s not very People Friendly.”

Cllr Bridget Wayman, Cabinet Holder for Highways, said: “We sent letters to around 1,500 blue badge holders who were all registered in the SP1-6 postcodes.

“Since the start of the scheme almost 2,000 blue badge holders have had their permits set up, which indicates that many are aware of the Low Traffic Zone. The vast majority of these permits have been set up by the blue badge holders themselves and for those that were unable to do this, our Parking Services team have set the permits up for them.

“We have had queries from some blue badge holders saying that they did not receive a letter; some of these were because their badge was not issued by Wiltshire Council and therefore they were not on our database.”