25th February 2004
Call
for Action on Selfish Drivers
MSP
for Greenock and Inverclyde, Duncan McNeil, is calling for action to stop
selfish drivers misusing disabled parking bays in supermarket and other private
car parks.
His
call comes after campaign group, Baywatch, published figures which show that
that over 20% of disabled parking bays in supermarket car parks are being used
by non-disabled drivers.
In
a motion tabled in the Scottish Parliament, Mr McNeil says that giving local
councils the power to enforce parking restrictions in private car parks should
be examined. This, he believes,
would benefit both disabled drivers and the car park owners themselves – who
could face legal action under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as
amended) if they continue to turn a blind eye.
He
said:
“1
in 5 disabled parking bays at supermarkets are being used by people with no
right to do so – a 2.5% increase from the same time last year.
When I said I wanted a figure from Baywatch, I had in mind something more
attractive than this.
“It’s
clear that the current system isn’t working.
Perhaps now is the time to go beyond appealing to people’s better
nature and start appealing to their pockets.
If that means allowing local authority parking attendants to fine selfish
drivers, so be it.”
Mr
McNeil now hopes to secure a parliamentary debate on the issue, which is causing
a great deal of anger to many disabled motorists in his constituency:
“Disabled
drivers from across my constituency have contacted me to express their
frustration, not just at the lazy and selfish motorists who abuse disabled
parking spaces, but at the apparent reluctance of store management to enforce
their own parking policy,” he continued.
“That
being said, I also appreciate that some store managers are not clear about their
powers to compel drivers to move from bays reserved for disabled customers.
“This
is in no-one’s best interests. It
leaves disabled drivers angry, supermarket managers confused and their companies
liable to legal action under the Disability Discrimination Act.”
ENDS
Notes
The
full text of Mr McNeil’s motion reads: