Car parking problem leaves disabled woman distressed

By Matt Dixon 16th December 2020

A disabled Truro pensioner was left distressed after being allowed to park inside the pedestrianisation barriers – only to attract the attention of a traffic warden.

Norma Kaye was ushered through the barrier in Lower Lemon Street by a marshall, enabling her to park outside Michael Spiers jewellers while she visited Hendra Health Store nearby.

To her horror, when she returned to her car, a warden had her car on the clock, preparing to write a ticket. She told the Voice: “My husband and I drove into town, asked the marshall at the bottom of Lemon Street if we could park outside Lakeland, but were told no disabled drivers allowed."

“She said ‘you can park in the loading bay outside Michael Spiers’." She moved the barrier and we drove through and parked. “We went into Hendra chemist across the road, came out and the warden was just about to write out a ticket, we advised him we had been let through the barriers by the marshall, he was quite adamant we could not park there and made us move.”

Her husband Geoff had walked into town the previous week to ask a marshall if disabled parking was outside Lakeland, in Boscawen Street. Geoff was told it would be okay and the barrier would be lifted for them.

Norma added: “Truro City Council and Cornwall Council need to urgently sort this problem out, I am disabled, I have a blue badge, and cannot walk more than 100 yards. “I am absolutely disgusted and am sure there are others who are disabled, some maybe more so than myself, who are being discriminated against in this archaic and high-handed way.”

Truro councillor Rob Nolan, who has been involved with Cornwall Council’s Covid marshall patrols, said: “The marshalls are trying to be helpful – they are there to ensure Covid regulations are being followed and to make it as safe as possible.”

Cllr Nolan pointed out that Cornwall Council’s marshalls are voluntary “ambassadors”, while the pedestrianisation marshalls are employed by Truro City Council. Alun Jones, Truro Business Information District manager, said: “What we try to do is make exception for the most suitable cases. However, once they are beyond the barrier the same enforcement rules apply, so if someone is parked in a loading bay who shouldn’t be, they run the risk of a ticket.”