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13
Jun
Blue badge parking outside Royal Hall removed due to Terrorism Act
Disabled parking bays outside Harrogate’s Royal Hall were removed due to requirements under the Terrorism Act, the council has said.
People with blue badge permits had previously been able to park at the front of the hall, which is part of Harrogate Convention Centre.
Signage on the front of the historic hall reserved a cross hatched area for disabled parking.
However, a reader pointed out to the Stray Ferret that signs on the wall had been removed.
The area outside the Royal Hall now no longer provides parking spaces.
The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire Council, which owns the convention centre, why the signage had been removed and whether any provision had been made elsewhere.
Cllr Carl Les, leader of the council, said the arrangement outside the Royal Hall had been “informal” and that the areas also played “an important role in providing safe exit in the event of an emergency”.
He added that, under the requirements of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, parking in those areas could no longer continue.
The act, which is also known as Martyn's Law, received Royal Assent on April 3 this year. It was named after Martyn Hett who was killed alongside 21 others in the Manchester Arena terror attack in May 2017.
Cllr Les said:
There has been an informal parking arrangement for blue badge holders which allowed parking in the hatched areas. These areas play an important role in providing safe exit in the event of an emergency like a fire or other incident.
Following the introduction of Martyn’s Law, which relates to the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 all events and venues need to ensure they have robust plans in place to protect visitors and staff. This means parking in these areas cannot continue because it would be an obstruction.
Whilst the risk of an attack in this region is thankfully very low, the balance between access, parking, safety and security is one we constantly consider and take very seriously.
There are a number of disabled parking bays at Harrogate Convention Centre of which the Royal Hall is part of should blue badge holders wish to park there.
The council said there was accessible parking in Harrogate Convention Centre’s underground car park, as well as disabled parking for blue badge holders in the Jubilee car park on Union Street.
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