My son goes to a specialist school which has three disabled bays outside. The school keep allowing other vehicles and for a whole month last year a skip and shed to use the space.
I have written to the Head and they were politely rude about it.
I want to take it further because it’s putting all 20 kids in danger when the taxis and our car have to stop in the road.
What are my next best steps in Law?
I’m a bit sceptical about complaints as it seems a way of the issue being thrown in the long grass and this is a breach of statutory law (Reasonable Adjustments, Equality Act) and so I’d like to hold the school fully accountable.
If they are disabled bays then only disabled people should use them. This is up to the Traffic Wardens I think to sort out. However, just for this week, take some photos every day to give clear evidence. As someone who relied heavily on my blue badge before I had knee replacements, I know just how important it is to have these bays available when you need them.
I just took my wife to a dentist in Xchurch this afternoon, as usual there was a car in the sole disabled bay, it’s often a staff member (I’ve seen them both parking and unparking - is that a word?), I took her in and commented to the receptionist that some F***wit is in the disabled bay without a Blue Badge as usual.
Left the wife in there and went outside to wait, ten minutes later receptionist came out and moved her car.
I have a further plan. The day before my wife’s last appointment she received the usual automated and recorded phone call reminding her about the appointment: when the next one comes I shall phone them back immediately and remind them that their disabled parking bay is for disabled visitors and not perfectly able staff members.
Most drivers will respect the rules of not parking in disabled bays without legitimate reasons. But there are many people who will simply disregard disabled parking signs and park illegally. Drivers who do park in disabled parking bays who are not Blue Badge holders will be liable to a Penalty Charge Notice, which means a fine. The Blue Badge scheme was set up to allow people with mobility problems to park as close as possible to their intended destination. Blue Badge drivers are permitted to park for free on on-street parking spaces but there are set time limits that must be adhered to.