PRESS RELEASE

2 April 2002

DISABLED PARKING AT SUPERMARKETS IS STILL A PROBLEM, SAYS OTTAWAY

Croydon South MP Richard Ottaway is continuing his campaign to stop able-bodied drivers from parking in disabled parking spaces at supermarkets. Mr Ottaway has joined MPs from all parties in supporting the Baywatch Campaign, set up by the British Polio Fellowship, the Disabled Drivers' Association, the Disabled Drivers' Motor Club and newspaper Disability Now to encourage more protection of disabled parking bays in supermarkets.

Richard Ottaway said:

"The problem of able-bodied drivers parking in disabled parking spaces is on-going in Croydon, although at Tesco's in Purley there have been significant improvements since I raised the matter with them.

"Whilst I welcome the initiatives that are being taken by the large supermarkets to tackle this problem, there are still too many opportunist able-bodied drivers who selfishly occupy disabled driver spaces to make their shopping trip for convenient for themselves. Unfortunately, because of their thoughtlessness, these people do not care about how inconvenient it is for the disabled driver who cannot park close to the store, and they must be stopped".

END