Disabled man frustrated over parking system

Roger Galloway said he did not "understand the logic" around the parking system

A disabled pensioner from Plymouth has described a council's parking system as "ludicrous" for blue badge holders.

Roger Galloway, 78, parked at the Napier Terrace car park in Mutley, which offers two hours free parking, but did not realise he needed to put his registration number into the machine, so received a £50 fine.

He said car parks in the city were "not consistent", as, in some, drivers only had to display a blue badge, but, in others, they had to get a ticket from a machine as well.

Plymouth City Council said a free parking session must be registered at the machine by everyone, which included blue badge holders, and that all the information was explained on signs and its website.

Mr Galloway said he was grateful that the disabled spots were near the exit but added that he did not understand why the ticket machine was situated a distance away, given the purpose of the blue badge system.

He said he suffered from atrial fibrillation so found it difficult to walk very far.

"I don't understand the logic" he said, and it was "not an easy task at all" for some disabled people.

He said: "That little walk is phenomenal for me, especially if the weather is against you and your carrying your bits and bobs.

"Nothing says if you've got a blue badge, you've got to go up to that machine. If it did, I would do that."

"If one of the people organising this had one of the disabilities, they might understand more how frustrating it is."

Mr Galloway said the situation is "so frustrating" and has urged the council to move the machine closer to the disabled bays

Plymouth City Council said the distance from the furthest disabled bay to the machine was "less than 40m [130ft]".

It said all blue badge holders had the option to buy an accessibility permit for £60, which allowed them to park in any bay in any council car park for free.

It said between 08:00 to 20:00, people could park for free on the top floor for the car park for up to two hours and, after this time, charges applied to all users, which included blue badge holders, who got an additional hour for free.