Targeting disabled to make money with parking fines

Allan Capstick, Lancashire County Council’s highways manager for Burnley was quoted trying to justify the alteration to the bay, but only succeeded in showing how ambiguous the whole situation is.

It is purposely meant to be, in order to create unfair revenue.

When enough money has been extracted and people can no longer be fooled, then things will become more transparent: at the moment, they are not.

Having carried out some research, it is clear there are irregularities in signage and markings being used in that area which show they are not strictly following the letter of the law.

There are questions as to whether or not a disabled person can park in a loading bay, and many have won cases in court to say they can.

It also appears the council is breaking the law by not painting the words “Loading Bay” on the ground. It should accompany the sign; one without the other does not make it legal.

Four studs have been placed in the bay to separate the bays, but these cannot be seen as they are frequently obscured by a bumper if a car is parked in the adjoining bay.

There is a tiny loading sign right at the end of the bay that is not very noticeable to people who have used the bay as disabled parking for years. Surely, it would make much more sense to have the sign near an area identified with yellow lines, and put the “Goods Vehicle” sign towards the centre of the bay.

The markings on the disabled bay are badly faded and scrubbed out, so there is very little difference from the rest of the road. Ambiguity, ambiguity!

Another significant point is the position of the loading bay itself. A loading bay could better serve shops that need to take in goods. What have we next to the loading bay? An empty shop on the corner, a bank and an estate agents – nothing requiring goods. Yet more confirmation, this is indeed a money-making operation.

There are many ways of taking your money, but this really sickens me.

Only this morning I stopped an old lady from parking there. She, like so many other vulnerable disabled people, did not have a clue she was about to commit an offence.

Jim Cowell,

Ightenhill Park Lane, Burnley