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Mums take disabled parking bays
DISABLED shoppers must share their parking spaces with mothers and children, a superstore has told customers.
The Tesco superstore at Abingdon provides 36 bays for customers who display a disabled badge and 21 spaces for parents with young children.
But a row has erupted after the supermarket announced disabled users had to share their spaces with families.
Tesco spokesman Taryna Surtees said: "We took a pragmatic view and spaces at the store are quite often left empty, and so we have allowed this."
John Weston, who suffers from cervical spondylosis and has used a wheelchair for the past 20 years, has shopped at the Marcham Road store twice a week since it opened more than two decades ago, but is disgusted that able-bodied people can now park in the disabled bays.
Mr Weston, a 65-year-old grandfather, said: "It is just not fair on us. It is not just me, but the other disabled people. Why do we get punished? We did not ask to be disabled. Mothers ask to become pregnant and have a baby. We did not ask to be disabled, so why do we keep being punished for it?"
Mr Weston said that on several occasions he had not been able to shop at Tesco as there was nowhere to park.
Mr Weston, of Latton Close, Southmoor, claimed he often saw mothers with babies parking in the disabled bays and when he challenged one woman about it, she told him that the store allowed it.
Ian Scott, customer service manager, wrote to Mr Weston from Tesco's customer service centre at Dundee: "I can confirm that as a company we have always kept our disabled and mother and toddler spaces separate. However, our store managers can make their own decisions as a store policy based on the needs of their local customers.
"Unfortunately, if a store manager takes the decision to allow mothers and toddlers to share disabled spaces, we are unable to override their local decision."
Nigel Carter, chairman of an Abingdon group for people with disabilities, Phab, urged Tesco to closely monitor the situation.
He said: "I can understand disabled people being upset if they have their own transport but cannot get into Tesco because there are not enough bays.
"If able-bodied people are using them, then that shouldn't be."
Ms Surtees said: "As with all our policies at this store, we regularly review them, so if it is unsustainable or if the need to keep these bays free becomes more and more evident, then we'll simply stop."
11:00am Friday 14th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: Jackie, Abingdon on 1:08pm Fri 14 Mar 08
How ridiculous. Since when has taking children shopping equated with disability? The store manager at Abingdon must be a right pillock.
How ridiculous. Since when has taking children shopping equated with disability? The store manager at Abingdon must be a right pillock.
Posted by: Anon on 2:23pm Fri 14 Mar 08
Whilst I agree that provision should be made for Disabled and family parking does anyone really think that Tesco are going to challenge shoppers who park there, after all they would not want to alienate any customers. I see all manner of people neither disabled nor with young children parking where they like.
Whilst I agree that provision should be made for Disabled and family parking does anyone really think that Tesco are going to challenge shoppers who park there, after all they would not want to alienate any customers. I see all manner of people neither disabled nor with young children parking where they like.
Posted by: Jackie, Abingdon on 5:30pm Fri 14 Mar 08
Good point anon. I was challenged once by a member of the public after parking in a disabled spot with my son when he was ill and I needed to get an urgent prescription for him. Mind you, there were another 8 or 9 spaces at the time ....
Mind you, more power to Jo Public!
Good point anon. I was challenged once by a member of the public after parking in a disabled spot with my son when he was ill and I needed to get an urgent prescription for him. Mind you, there were another 8 or 9 spaces at the time ....
Mind you, more power to Jo Public!
Posted by: DrDoolittle, Wan'Age on 11:52pm Fri 14 Mar 08
Whilst I do symapthise with people with physical disabilties I feel that comments like this from John Weston
"It is just not fair on us. It is not just me, but the other disabled people. Why do we get punished? We did not ask to be disabled. Mothers ask to become pregnant and have a baby. We did not ask to be disabled, so why do we keep being punished for it?"
are wholey ignorant and are placing a generalisation on impaired people.. not everyone that is disabled "plays such a victim role" the large majority just get on with lifes daily struggles. And as for saying mothers ask to get pregnant..shut up you silly old fart it state you are a grandfather and this suggests you have children and therefore should realise the difficulties of childcare !!!
Tesco - Make your spaces wider and have no deiganted parking for mother and baby or disable that would then stop all the hassle...
Whilst I do symapthise with people with physical disabilties I feel that comments like this from John Weston
"It is just not fair on us. It is not just me, but the other disabled people. Why do we get punished? We did not ask to be disabled. Mothers ask to become pregnant and have a baby. We did not ask to be disabled, so why do we keep being punished for it?"
are wholey ignorant and are placing a generalisation on impaired people.. not everyone that is disabled "plays such a victim role" the large majority just get on with lifes daily struggles. And as for saying mothers ask to get pregnant..shut up you silly old fart it state you are a grandfather and this suggests you have children and therefore should realise the difficulties of childcare !!!
Tesco - Make your spaces wider and have no deiganted parking for mother and baby or disable that would then stop all the hassle...
Posted by: CB, Abingdon on 8:56am Wed 19 Mar 08
Should work well if monitored/checked.
If I understand it to be the area in front of the windows, is to be a shared area, where either disabled OR adults with children can park. I know disabled persons badges are displayed, but do adults with children still apply to Tesco to have their own registered badge to display? (Adults with children 'club), not always Mothers is it??
Should work well if monitored/checked.
If I understand it to be the area in front of the windows, is to be a shared area, where either disabled OR adults with children can park. I know disabled persons badges are displayed, but do adults with children still apply to Tesco to have their own registered badge to display? (Adults with children 'club), not always Mothers is it??
Posted by: Julie, Wantage on 2:04pm Mon 24 Mar 08
It works both ways. I have lost count the amount of times I have not been able to park in a mother/baby space because a disabled person has taken it. I don't complain. It's called tolerance of other peoples needs. Also mother/baby spaces are not about being pregnant. They are there to make it easier for parents to get their babies/children strapped in. Being able to push car doors back as far as they can go without the fear of banging your neighbours car door and denting it!
It works both ways. I have lost count the amount of times I have not been able to park in a mother/baby space because a disabled person has taken it. I don't complain. It's called tolerance of other peoples needs. Also mother/baby spaces are not about being pregnant. They are there to make it easier for parents to get their babies/children strapped in. Being able to push car doors back as far as they can go without the fear of banging your neighbours car door and denting it!
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