Woman avoids city over lack of disabled parking

A disabled woman from Hereford has said she avoids going into the city centre because it is "such a struggle" due to a lack of disabled parking spaces.

Ellie Walker has fibromyalgia and suffers with pain all over her body meaning she requires mobility aids to get around.

She told BBC Hereford & Worcester: "I avoid coming into the city centre just because parking and moving around is such a struggle."

A Herefordshire Council spokesperson said blue badge holders had the right to use any of its available spaces, not just disabled bays.

But Ms Walker explained that the difference between a normal parking bay and a marked disabled space was the size.

She said: "A disabled bay is larger than the average parking space. That is to allow a disabled person to get in and out of their vehicle with their mobility aids."

The spokesperson added that Herefordshire provided 44 on-street spaces for disabled drivers and if these were unavailable then a blue badge holder could use any street pay and display bay at no charge.

Blue badge holders are also allowed to park on double yellow or single yellow lines for up to three hours, where it is safe to do so.

Ms Walker said larger disabled spaces allow her to get in and out of her car more easily

Ms Walker claimed that just 2.75% of spaces in council-run car parks in Hereford were for disabled drivers.

She contrasted that with the 4.75% of people in Herefordshire who are blue badge holders.

But a Herefordshire Council spokesperson stated that these figures "do not accurately represent parking provision in Herefordshire".

Ms Walker said she was not calling for a disabled parking bay for every blue badge holder, but did want to see it made easier for those with disabilities.

"What should not be happening is disabled people finding it more and more difficult to access their local amenities," she said.

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