A disabled driver’s car is more likely to be towed away than the car parked in the bay outside his home even though it doesn’t have a blue badge.
The prospect emerged as a senior council official answered a question from a Brighton councillor on the disabled man’s behalf.
With no apparent reasonable alternative, he has been double parking.
When Councillor Tracey Hill asked if the offending car could be towed away, she was told that it couldn’t be removed because it wasn’t obstructing the traffic.
But Mark Prior, an assistant director at Brighton and Hove City Council, said that a double-parked car risked being towed away.
At the council’s Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee meeting at Hove Town Hall on Tuesday (22 January) Councillor Hill, who represents Hollingdean and Stanmer ward, said: “A resident is repeatedly getting home between 8pm and midnight to find someone parked in his disabled space.
“Usually there are no other spaces near by and he has to double-park. He has sustained damage to his car due to this.
“He has repeatedly tried phoning the enforcement service but has never had a response during these hours.
“What enforcement services are available to support disabled residents in this situation?”
Fellow Labour councillor Gill Mitchell, who chairs the committee said that parking enforcement officers could attend between 8am and 8pm or by 9am the next day.
Councillor Hill said that this did not provide a practical solution to the problem.
Another transport official Charles Field said that it would be possible to designate the bay so that only one car could use it.
This would usually take at least six months but could be speeded up in an urgent case.
There was also a suggestion by Mr Prior that given the persistent offending in this particular instance, if offences were repeatedly reported, towaway action might be considered.
this is just plain wrong?
most bays are free after 8, but disabled bays don’t usually have a time on (therefore operate 24hrs). If they don’t have a blue badge, ticket them until they stop parking there!
This really needs to be reworded.
The bay does not belong to the disabled gentleman.
It is not ‘his’ bay.
Anyone with the correct authorisation can use it.
I’m not commenting on the illegal use of the bay, which is obviously wrong.
Tom, You may not be aware that there are certain disabled bays around Brighton and Hove that DO belong to a named individual. These bays are identified with the specific bay ID painted on the road and on the adjacent sign on the post and are not available for all blue badge drivers to use.
Excuse the late reply.
In this particular case the bay does not belong to a named individual. Hence the councillor suggesting it could be in the future.