A NEW campaign calling for disabled blue badge holders to have the same access to York city centre as able bodied people will be launched later this week.

The York Equal Access Campaign plans to stage a demonstration with banners and placards in Goodramgate, near Boyes, at 3pm on Wednesday.

Spokesman Gordon Campbell-Thomas said the group included able and disabled residents and was campaigning against City of York Council proposals which meant disabled residents and visitors could not come into the foot streets between 10.30am and 8pm.

"The council says it will provide extra blue badge places on the periphery of the foot streets, but how is someone who can’t walk 10 metres meant to access shops and other facilities?"he said.

Activist Rose Drew said the proposal was 'bigoted exclusion,' which would segregate and create barriers.

Blue badge holders could previously drive in certain pedestrianised streets but the council banned access at the start of the pandemic,and is now planning a traffic regulation order to make this permanent, albeit with extra blue badge bays in streets such as Blake Street, Deangate, Duncombe Place and Lord Mayor’s Walk.