Anger after enforcement car restricts disabled access

John, a resident from Royton who has a disability parking pass, was parked in a disabled spot at Precinct Car Park in Royton on Thursday, February 29, when he saw the parking enforcement car parked next to his.

The council vehicle was parked on a marked yellow box next to a disabled spot, which John said restricted the access of pedestrians into the car park.

The parking enforcement car parked on the marked yellow box (Image: Public)

Code 45 of the Highway Code reads: "All normal parking restrictions should be observed. Your vehicle should not be left unattended if it causes an obstruction to other pedestrians - especially those in wheelchairs."

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John said he was aware enforcement vehicles had exemptions, but said that did not mean they were above the Highway Code.

He said: "This yellow hatched areas purpose is to facilitate the pedestrian entry to the car park from the footpath on Sandy Lane, where there is a pedestrian crossing from an older residential apartment block."

John said he was "annoyed" by the enforcement car being parked there and that it equated to a "lack of respect".

An aerial view with the spot John was parked in, circled (Image: Public)

Cllr Chris Goodwin, Cabinet member for neighbourhoods, said: “While our parking enforcement officers are exempt from traffic orders when carrying out the duties of their role, we do apologise for the inconvenience this has caused.

“These marked yellow boxes are purposely outlined to avoid anyone infringing on the access required for disabled bays, and in this instance, access to the nearby path.

“We will be addressing this issue with our team to remind them of this, and to park considerately when carrying out the duties of their role.”