Baywatch aids blue badge parking

6.47.51pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 12th Apr 2007

A city council has launched a campaign to tackle the misuse of disabled car parking bays at its leisure centres. The Baywatch campaign, launched in Preston in Lancashire, covers both Fulwood and West View leisure centres. The national campaign aims to discourage non-disabled drivers from using parking spaces meant for blue badge holders at supermarkets.

Council staff will patrol leisure centre car parks and will be issuing warning notices to offenders.

John Camm, operations manager for Preston's leisure centres, said: "Over the last few months, we've noticed that more and more non-disabled drivers are parking in disabled parking spaces at both leisure centres. "This is a serious issue, the bays are there to make sure disabled people can easily access the leisure centre facilities and it's frustrating to see that they cannot be used by people who genuinely need them."

John Pring, acting editor of Disability Now newspaper and a founder member of the Baywatch campaign, said: "The abuse of car-parking spaces causes a lot of anger and frustration, as well as real practical problems, for disabled people. "The campaign has attracted widespread national interest and we're pleased it is helping to raise awareness of disabled parking issues at Preston's leisure centres."