A MUM and daughter who both suffer from reduced mobility have slammed the council's plans to make them pay for parking outside their own homes.
Sunita Kanda, 43, of South Woodford High Road, used to leave her car in spaces near her home behind South Woodford Medical Centre, in bays reserved for local residents.
However, it was resurfaced two years ago, meaning the bays were lost, and the council is now set to introduce pay-and-display parking.
Mrs Kanda, said: “My daughter Meena, who is 23, has the condition lupus, or SLE, and that means she finds it difficult to get around.
“I was recently diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and I had to take six month off work, plus I've had to take a step down from being a supervisor and cut my hours back too.
“I understand the meters should be there because at the moment everybody parks there, people using supermarkets and the shops, because they know it's free.
“But they expect us to pay to park outside our own home. And if we can't park outside here we would have to park a good 15 minutes walk away, which we just can't do.”
She added: “Redbridge Council is just being completely ignorant about the situation, they're the worst.
“The council don't even recognise my daughter's condition for a blue badge.
“It's crazy because there's a lupus centre at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital in central London, so how they can say it's not a proper condition I don't know.”
“It is Council policy to introduce charges in all public car parks in the borough.
“This one in South Woodford is the last of the free car parks to have charges applied, and notices indicating the intention to begin charging on July 19 were erected at various locations within the car park on July 11.
“It is acknowledged that this is a popular car park, well-used by motorists living in, working at or visiting the various premises on the site or close to it and it is hoped that it will continue to meet local parking needs.”
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