"Just for Profits Parking" Hits Disabled Drivers in Chorlton

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 3rd Sep 2008

Motorists, including disabled drivers, hit with full car parking charges in Chorlton

"The owners of the Chorlton Precinct car park appear to be doing everything possible to frighten shoppers away as they hit everyone, including disabled drivers, with full car parking charges", says Manchester Liberal Democrat councillor John Grant.

Lib Dem councillor John Grant has slammed the owners of the Chorlton Precinct car park for its parking charges that do not appear to be helping retailers in Chorlton but forcing people to go elsewhere. A disabled local resident was horrified when he returned from his 20-minute visit to the doctor to discover a £60 parking fine on his windscreen. He had parked in a disabled parking space and displayed his badge. There are no concessions to drivers using the local shops or 2 hours free parking for disabled drivers as there is at the Stretford Arndale.

Councillor Grant commented:

"A half empty car park says it all. The owners of this car park seem to only interested in making money, rather than in getting local people to come here to use the shops and other services. There was no public consultation before they introduced 27/7 parking charges. If this is not bad enough, they are also charging disabled drivers the full charge. There is nothing in the car park that I can see which makes this clear but Excel Parking have confirmed that this is the case. What is any of this doing to encourage people to come to Chorlton district centre? Why on earth is there no concession for people buying things in the centre or for disabled drivers, as the Stretford Arndale has?"

END

Coverage in local newspaper:

http://www.southmanchesterreporter.co.uk/news/s/1066344_disabled_drivers_anger_over_fine