Stockton man’s plea over misuse of disabled parking spaces
Peter Atkinson, 66, said he had repeatedly spotted non-blue badge holders using the disabled parking bays on West Row, central Stockton, which he said showed “utter contempt for the needs of disabled people who rely on these spaces to help them”.
He said: “It’s constant. I go down to the town on a morning and quite often there are vehicles in disabled bays that don’t display blue badges. There’s no reason for cars to be parked on there without a blue badge.”
He said he would like to see drivers show more consideration.
“It’s the same as what the majority of disabled drivers would like to see – we’d like to see the abuse of the parking bays stopped,” he said.
“And if people are going to keep on parking their without blue badges, the enforcement team should be going around there and putting a ticket on their cars and make them stop. It’s simple.
“Stop abusing disabled parking spaces. They’re needed by people who have disabilities. That’s what they’re there for.”
Peter Atkinson with his car parked in a disabled space on West Row, central Stockton. Picture: LDR
He said he would like to see more enforcement from Stockton Council, saying he had made complaints before only to find the offending vehicles still in the spaces later.
The authority has pointed to its work issuing 10 parking charge notices on West Row and Ramsgate in one day, and 82 notices for West Row in the last year.
The retired former Royal Navy radio operator and service engineer, who has mobility problems with spinal stenosis and uses a walking stick, wheelchair or crutches, comes into town to meet friends and attend medical appointments.
“We come usually first thing on a morning,” he said. “Quite often there’s cars there without badges.
“One car was parked taking up both of the spaces. It was totally covered in frost, it had obviously been there all night. It’s just all the time.
“It’s even the loading bays, cars parked in the loading bays so they can come around and do their shopping. It’s terrible in Stockton town centre, I’ve been having these problems for about a year and a half.”
He said he had seen lorries using the disabled parking spaces instead of empty nearby loading bays.
He added: “They go, ‘It’s the first time I’ve come here, I didn’t know.’ Have they never seen a disabled bay before?
“I’d say, ‘You could move to the loading bay which is 30ft behind you.’ They say, ‘We’re just delivering, we won’t be long.’
“I’ve been complaining to the council’s enforcement team, and these two spaces are camera-monitored. I never see the enforcement team going around putting tickets on cars.
“I have tried to get it stopped but to no avail.”
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The council said it had issued 82 parking charge notices on West Row over the last year.
Councillor Norma Stephenson, cabinet member for access, communities and community safety, said: “We take this issue very seriously and our civic enforcement team officers are on the lookout for any illegally parked cars during their regular patrols around Stockton town centre.
“In fact, 10 parking charge notices were issued on Saturday (March 1) on West Row and nearby Ramsgate, which shows our commitment to taking the necessary action when needed. If residents do spot an issue, the quickest way to get in touch is to call 01642 607943 as our excellent CCTV control room team can alert the nearest enforcement officer on patrol.”