Lincoln City Council has withdrawn its challenge to the Judicial Review in the case of Matt Smith and the implementation of car parking charges for blue badge holders in the city.
Matt Smith's solicitor at Wake Smith, believes the upsurge of supporters to the online petition will have affected the Council's decision to withdraw.
The hearing for permission was due to take place in Birmingham on the 12th November. The decision to withdraw objections has now led to an agreed timetable for the case to be dealt with before the end of March 2010.
Martin Harvey: "Matt believes that the Council's decision to charge disabled people to park in off street car parks is nothing more than a money earner. And, not only have they failed to adapt any of the payment machines to accommodate wheelchair users, the whole process in which the decision was reached appears flawed. We can find very little evidence of a proper consultation and believe that Lincoln City Council must reconsider their decision.
"We are delighted to hear the news this week that the Council has backed down on the challenge to the Judicial Review. We will continue to work with Matt to raise profile on this injustice, hopefully attracting many more thousands of people to add their names to the online petition. Matt has already received so much support it is really encouraging to see, because without which we may not have reached this stage."
Matt, 28, who has cerebral palsy, believes that Lincoln Council is forcing disabled people to stay away from the city centre and making money at the cost of restricting disabled people's freedom.
Matt Smith said: "Lincolnshire is a very rural county and I feel that these new charges will have a harmful impact on disabled people accessing facilities which are only in Lincoln."
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