Disabled access granted in new Bath counter-terror plan

The council plans to ban most vehicles from tourist hotspots to prevent terror attacks

Disabled residents will be allowed access into a city centre's "ring of steel" under changes to a council's counter-terror proposals.

The measures could see road access limited in Bath's city centre to prevent vehicles being used as weapons.

But they would also have restricted disabled access, which was a major concern for some residents.

Revised plans will now see blue badge holders, taxis carrying them, and their carers, granted controlled access.

This will apply to Cheap Street, Westgate Street, Saw Close and Upper Borough Walls between 10:00 BST and 18:00 BST. 

The revised proposals will be considered at a cabinet meeting on 20 July, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. 

'Proportional and fair'

Bath and North East Somerset Council leader Kevin Guy said the fairer measures had to be considered.

"Nothing is more important than the safety and security of those who live in, work in or visit our city centre, but we must ensure that the measures we take to protect people are proportional and fair," he said.

The council has consulted with Avon and Somerset Police and the force's counter-terrorism security advisers to ensure its proposals did not compromise on security, it said.

Cabinet member for transport, Manda Rigby, said that while there is no specific intelligence to suggest Bath is under an increased threat, they "have worked very hard to ensure we have balanced the risk of a catastrophic event, with the need to facilitate a vibrant, healthy accessible city centre."

Karen Warrington said the Liberal Democrats should apologise for their "ill thought out" counter-terror proposals

Calls for more disabled parking and loading bays near the restricted streets will be considered for inclusion in next year's budget. 

But conservative councillor Karen Warrington remains critical of the proposals and said they were still not "fit for purpose" and asked the council to "ditch the plans for good".

"The administration claims that access will be maintained for blue badge holders through the use of CCTV at key access points," she said.

"However, no detail has been provided on how this will work on a practical level and we fear it will be a highly inefficient method of access control."