A DISABLED motorist says he ended up receiving a parking ticket after disabled parking bays in York were illegally used by able-bodied drivers.

Michael Shepherdson, of Camblesforth, near Selby, who is registered disabled and able to walk only about 20 metres after suffering a stroke, said he wanted to park in Front Street, Acomb, to go to his dentist.

He said two of the three spaces in a disabled parking bay just across the street were taken by cars which did not have the blue disabled badge displayed in their windscreen.

The next nearest parking places available were too far away from the dentist for him to be able to walk there, and instead he parked in an area where a loading ban was in force. When he got back from the dentist, he found he had been given a ticket.

He appealed to City of York Council, which responded saying that the ban meant no vehicles could park, including disabled badge holders, and signs in place had explained this.

It said the authority appreciated there were other vehicles parked illegally in the disabled bays, but this was not a reason to cancel the penalty charge notice.

Mr Shepherdson said he felt his treatment had been unfair, but he had now paid the £35 fine because he did not want to risk it doubling to £70 if he delayed.

Russ Broadbent, parking services manager at City of York Council, said: “Disabled drivers must realise that even though the badge gives special rights for drivers to park, there are still rules that must be followed: these are explained in a Government booklet issued to all disabled drivers on receiving their badge.

“It is important to stick to these rules and just as any driver runs the risk of a penalty charge notice if they park in the wrong place, so will a disabled driver if they park wrongly. Parking in an area where loading is banned is not allowed.”