A leading petitioner against the proliferation of disabled bays in Parkhill Road says the “compromise reached benefits all”

Jul 15 2009 by Carrie Catterall, Birkenhead News

A LEADING petitioner against the proliferation of disabled bays in her road says the “compromise reached benefits all”.

As an application for a seventh disabled parking bay was lodged last year in Parkhill Road, Birkenhead, around 30 residents decided to form a petition.

Since this time, the petition has been withdrawn and the new disabled parking space will be placed but with the markings on the inside of the bay.

Over the next few weeks the white lettering on the outside of all the bays in Parkhill Road will be blacked out and repainted inside the bay.

Julie Byrne, who led the petition, said: “I have absolutely nothing against disabled people but the amount of parking bays going in our road is getting ridiculous.

“Concerns were raised about them devaluing our properties and making the road look untidy.

“But moving the writing on the inside of the bay means the road won’t look as messy and the people who need the bays will still have them. I actually can’t see any problem with this as everyone has compromised.”

However Monica Faulkner, 65, who applied for the seventh bay, thinks she is being discriminated against.

Monica, who suffers from a series of illnesses, said: “To me, this is discrimination and if the council isn’t going to remove the paint on parking bays throughout the whole of Wirral, which I think would be a waste of money, then it’s not fair to just target one street – it’s ridiculous.”

Birkenhead Councillor Frank Doyle said: “I’m happy that this extra disabled parking bay is going in for Monica – but I hope this situation doesn’t set a precedent throughout Wirral.”

A Wirral Council spokesmanresponded: “The disabled parking bays are advisory and a solution to the objection has been agreed and the petition has beenwithdrawn.”