I WAS appalled to read how a senior council official treated a disabled man who was the victim of the official’s abject failure to do his own job (The Press, July 20).

Mr Broadbent, York’s parking manager, is obliged to provide disabled parking bays, and to make them available to disabled people.

If they aren’t available (two bays were taken by cars without disabled badges), he has failed in his obligation to disabled people, and any consequences lie at his door.

But Mr Broadbent ignored is own responsibility and, robot-like, upheld a ticket given to Mr Shepherdson, who had to park in a loading area to go to his dentist.

Not every disabled bay can be policed every minute, but does Mr Broadbent police them at all? If not, the council should abandon the pretence of disabled bays. An unenforced rule is worse than no rule, as it merely penalises law-abiding people.

I invite Mr Broadbent to repay the fine from his own pocket.

John Heawood, Eastward Avenue, Fulford, York.