HERE is a further consequence of the disabled parking policy of York council.

I recently attended my graduation ceremony for my BA (Hons) Leadership and Management at York Minster.

I was required to be at the Hospitium, in the Museum Gardens at 3pm for gowning and then be at the Minster for 6pm for a ceremony beginning at 7pm.

Unfortunately, parking in Marygate was not feasible so I eventually found a space at the junction of Piccadilly/Stonebow/Pavement. Piccadilly car park is inaccessible for me as is the Q Park further down Stonebow because my vehicle is higher than two-metres tall due to the box which houses the hoist for stowing my wheelchair.

After gowning, I was forced to move my vehicle as blue badge holders are now restricted to three hours parking. Those three hours are not enough to facilitate and ordinary trip into town for shopping and for my graduation they fell very short of the mark.

Ultimately, we had to park in Union Car Park where I had to navigate the entrance rather awkwardly as the ingress has a bar across. This meant that we were some distance from the Minster. Although I had family with me, this was not conducive to a good evening, especially given the narrow pavements and the cobbles.

York College was wonderful in their preparations and adaptations made for my benefit and the benefit of others with disabilities but City of York Council needs to learn that their policy on the disabled parking in York town centre is not fit for purpose and needs changing.

Donna Muldoon,

Etty Avenue,

York