News & Features
Don't be a Selfish Parker
Posted in General News on Thursday, December 8th, 2022
Selfish parking campaign calls for more respect for those with accessibility needs
The British Parking Association (BPA) has launched the next phase of its ‘selfish parking’ campaign to highlight why it’s not ok to misuse a disabled parking space or blue badge.
Under the ‘It’s not OK to park where it’s not OK to park’ banner, the BPA is focusing on the misuse of disabled parking spaces and misuse of Blue Badges, and calls for the public to be more respectful of those with accessibility needs and with less visible or hidden disabilities.
Research by the BPA shows that the issue of selfish and anti-social parking is a major frustration for many of the public. One aspect of poor parking behaviour is the continued abuse of parking spaces designed for those with accessibility needs, as well as people using expired or invalid Blue Badges, or another person’s badge.
The campaign is supported by Disabled Motoring UK and the Welsh Government, and includes posters to highlight problem parking areas, social media cards, and the hashtag #selfishparking which can be used to encourage motorists to think before they park and show respect for others.
BPA members are being encouraged to actively engage with this campaign in their local areas, building to what is hoped will be a nationally consistent message that inconsiderate parking is not ok.
Dave Smith, BPA Head of Communications, says: “Our consumer research revealed one of the biggest frustrations people have is anti-social and inconsiderate parking. Misuse of parking bays specifically designed for those with accessibility needs and the abuse of Blue Badges by those who are not permitted to use them are ongoing concerns. Our campaign aims to educate and raise awareness of the importance of effective parking management in addressing many of the issues that impact negatively on local communities.”
DMUK Communications & Campaigns Director, Heidi Turner, said: “DMUK is pleased to support the BPA’s ‘selfish parker’ campaign and is thrilled to see a focus on disabled parking bays for this next phase. Blue Badge and disabled parking abuse is a priority for us and is the most common complaint that we hear about. Spreading the message about selfish parking among the general population is vital in seeing a reduction in this kind of abuse. So many see their actions when parking in a disabled bay without a Blue Badge as a ‘victimless crime’. However, to a disabled motorist being able to park in a disabled bay is vital to their independence.”
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Paul
Thursday, December, 8th, 2022
I wrote to my MP about it, in his reply he said that East Riding of Yorkshire Council were looking in to it but it would be a while as they would have to do a study to see how bad the problem is. If the council's aren't taking parking in accessible spaces seriously what chance have we got? Just this morning I had to wait to get into an accessible space while work vans and lazy car drivers got their morning coffee & breakfast from Greggs and a local bakery, despite the disabled parking road markings and street order being clearly visible.
Barbara Townend
Thursday, December, 8th, 2022
Why is it that local authorities are reluctant to allow disabled to have a designated disabled bay on the highway outside their home under no circumstances?
Linda
Wednesday, December, 14th, 2022
In supermarket car parks and shopping centres , private companies that are being used never appear to police the bays. All they do is erect cameras, which are no good to see who is abusing the bays. It's about time they earned their money, got off their backsides and walked round the bays. I've only ever seen 2 people doing this at Sainsbury's Wigan. I mean we pay the parking companies wages through the cost of our shopping.
Trevor
Wednesday, December, 14th, 2022
I find very often The comment I'll only be 5 mis. I'm just popping to get some m8lk ir the Bank. It means I drive around ir give up. I've spoken to Traffic wardens abd they say they are allowed 5 mins Same with Taxi drivers they say they can park or pick up and drop there.
David Hayes
Friday, December, 16th, 2022
I was parked in a disabled bay when a car parked next to me. 2 strapping young lads got out and ran across the car park. A Traffic Warden came along looking for tickets displayed. Hence, I told him that the lads were obviously not disabled. But all I got in reply was "there's all kinds of disability" and he carried on along the row.
Kevin Hallsworth
Tuesday, December, 20th, 2022
Allowing people that can walk perfectly well opened the floodgates for just about anyone to park in a disabled bay. I do understand there can be other issues, but surely the inability to walk should be the prime reason for disabled bays? Whilst waiting for one of only three bays to become available recently at a home bargains store, five young girls returned to a car showing a blue badge and when one of the store staff asked them if they were disabled all he got was a mouthful of abuse including "prove that we're not."
John Newman
Friday, December, 16th, 2022
We politely ask the public to stick to speed limits & what do you think the response would be if there was no enforcement. Same principle here. Step 1: Adopt a policy of zero tolerance. Make pavement parking illegal & give traffic wardens the power to ticket them I know not all disabilities are obvious, but you don't have to stand for long in a supermarket car park to conclude that blue badges are issued somewhat too readily. No reason why the staff collecting trolleys can't place a carefully worded reminder on offending car windscreens as they wander round.
John Newman
Friday, December, 16th, 2022
If the public responded well to gentle reminders, speed enforcement would not be necessary and the same applies here. The first thing needed is a universally applied, widely publicised policy of zero tolerance and coordinated action from all the relevant bodies. Bring the point home by making pavement parking illegal & giving traffic wardens the authority to issue a PCN. I know not all disabilities are obvious, but it is easy to see that blue badges are granted far too liberally and we need to go back to basics and re-establish which ailments really need the limited benefits a blue badge offers. I know a number of people who admit they don't really need one. Abuse on private property (eg a supermarket, motorway service stations etc) is more difficult, but a start would be for the staff that collect trolleys to place a polite reminder on the windscreen where abuse is clear.
Sally
Wednesday, December, 14th, 2022
My local council will put in disabled bays for those eligible, but will not put up posts for anyone, even if that person is willing to pay to have it. Without these posts, these parking bays are classed as 'advisory' and therefore unenforceable. I have issues with other people parking in the bay outside my house regardless of the availability of other spaces. They even become abusive if I try to explain why the bay is needed. Local MP has said they will write a letter to the council. That's all they can do.
Bob R
Saturday, December, 17th, 2022
I think the sign at the top of the page is directed at the wrong people. Do people misuse theirs or someone else's Blue Badge - absolutely they do and it should not be tolerated but by far the bigger problem is non badge holders taking the spaces designated for badge parking. Every time I go to a supermarket or shopping centre I see more non badged vehicles than badged so over 50% of spaces are unavailable for those that actually need them. It is a similar story for parent and child spaces where genuine families cannot get parked because of space abusers. As another comment mentioned, there are signs up warning of fines etc but despite writing to my local supermarket and the enforcement organisation I have yet to see a member of staff ask someone not to park and I have never actually seen anyone from the enforcement agency on site nevermind see them write tickets. It is about time that proper measures were put in place like barriers at badge parking areas that only open on when a badge is scanned. For areas where that is not practical give the police and traffic wardens the power to issue tickets. That would either generate a lot of income or cut down on the abuse. How long do you think it would take Asda or Tesco to get me moved if I parked in their foyer?
Andrew
Wednesday, December, 14th, 2022
These people are selfish and not worried about inconvenience to other people. I often challenge people by saying that they have forgotten to put their badge up as I am aware of hidden disabilities and don’t want to upset anyone. I feel that unless more people challenge them, nothing will change. I know not everyone can do it as it is very uncomfortable. If someone challenged me because I’d forgotten to put my badge up I’d be pleased and thank them. One other idea is to have a National website where you can upload photos of cars with no badge parked in disabled access bays. The council could then write to the people. Draconian, I know, but I am fed up with it. I have just got back from the chemist where someone was parked with no badge showing. I had to park further away. When I got back to the chemists there was a person getting into the car. I said to them they had forgotten to display their badge and was told that they didn’t have one and were ‘only going to be a minute’ - a common comeback. I pointed out that I had had to park further away and I’m quite lucky as I don’t need a wheelchair. Others could have just have had to drive off. OK rant over but someone please help
Bill Steel
Thursday, December, 15th, 2022
Drivers, sitting in cars displaying a blue badge, with engine running, waiting for family outside of shops.
Jill McKeown
Thursday, December, 15th, 2022
The only abuse of parking spaces I see are blue badge holders using parent and child spaces! I cannot understand why they think this is acceptable as they would be indignant if this happened in reverse.
Bob R
Thursday, December, 15th, 2022
I think the sign at the top of the page is directed at the wrong people. Do people misuse theirs or someone else's Blue Badge - absolutely they do and it should not be tolerated but by far the bigger problem is non badge holders taking the spaces designated for badge parking. Every time I go to a supermarket or shopping centre I see more non badged vehicles than badged so over 50% of spaces are unavailable for those that actually need them. It is a similar story for parent and child spaces where genuine families cannot get parked because of space abusers. As another comment mentioned, there are signs up warning of fines etc but despite writing to my local supermarket and the enforcement organisation I have yet to see a member of staff ask someone not to park and I have never actually seen anyone from the enforcement agency on site nevermind see them write tickets. It is about time that proper measures were put in place like barriers at badge parking areas that only open on when a badge is scanned. For areas where that is not practical give the police and traffic wardens the power to issue tickets. That would either generate a lot of income or cut down on the abuse. How long do you think it would take Asda or Tesco to get me moved if I parked in their foyer?
Beckey Barton
Friday, December, 16th, 2022
This really could do with getting an article slot on This Morning or Morning Live on BBC1, and The One Show. We need this to be highlighted in the media and for people get on board with the campaign. We need non-disabled people to start challenging these drivers on our behalf as well.
Nicki Parry
Friday, December, 16th, 2022
Unless people who park in disabled bays without a badge get fined they will continue to park in bays designated for disabled drivers. Could we get stickers made of the poster to put in the back window of our cars? Take out adverts in free papers like the metro, run an article in a woman's magazine ? get someone to go on television and explain the moral issues, the outrage disabled people feel when they cannot be independent because the only disabled space has been taken by a selfish driver who really hasn't considered the needs of wheelchair users, people with COPD, MS or one of the many disabilities that can change your life in an instant