A YORK disability rights campaign group has launched a crowd funding page to back a possible legal challenge to City of York Council’s decision to permanently close the extended footstreets.

York Accessibility Action's (YAA) founder member Alison Hume, a mum of three including an adult son with autism and complex disabilities, hit out after Thursday's decision by the council's executive.

She said: “Enough is enough. The council are not listening to us when we tell them about the misery inflicted on disabled residents and their families by the draconian footstreet closures.

"Maybe they will listen to us if we can prove they have discriminated against disabled people.

"We are delighted to have instructed the leading specialist disability discrimination lawyer Chris Fry to look into to whether we have a legal case.

"It does feel very David & Goliath but with Chris on our side, the devastating decision to permanently exclude disabled people from York may not be the end of the story.”

Another YAA member Natasha Rawnsley added: “I have a blue badge and haven’t been able to get into York since last autumn and can no longer access my bank on Market Street.

"I used to visit City Screen for lunch and films but I can no longer do this. 

"Parking on Goodramgate allowed me to access Bon Marche, King’s Square and even Petergate. I was able to get into York city centre but now it is is impossible for me”.

Alison said the group's initial fundraising target was £5,000 to pay the specialist disability discrimination lawyers to explore whether there is a legal case to challenge the changes which "threaten our human rights, independence and dignity".

She said: "A quarter of all families in York have a relative who is disabled and many more are impacted by temporary physical limitations.

"I know there is huge groundswell of public support to make York worthy of its title as a Human Rights City.

"At the moment it is a byword for discrimination.” The crowdfunding page is at here