Alan Lewis supports Blue Badge holders

Alan is angry that people without a Blue Badge abuse parking spaces allocated for people with disabilities in supermarket car parks.

Car parks at supermarkets, out of town shopping centres and small retail parades are privately owned. A recent change in the law means that the owners can fine people who abuse these spaces. Alan is campaigning to make sure enforcement happens everywhere. Read his letter to the chief executive of Tesco below. He's writing to Sainsbury's and Morrisons in similar vein.

7th May 2008

Terry Leahy (Chief Executive)

Tesco PLC

New Tesco House

Delamare road

Cheshunt

Hertfordshire

EN8 9SL

Dear Mr Leahy

Re: Disabled 'Blue Badge' Parking Bays

The fraudulent use of blue badges for drivers with disabilities is now a high priority with the government. Stockton Liberal Democrats, however, are also very concerned about the abuse of designated parking bays for drivers with disabilities.

In pursuance of my role as a Ward Councillor with this Local Authority and following observations from some of my residents I asked at a full council meeting on Wednesday the 5th of March this year, what if anything was being done to encourage the owners of car parks at shopping parades, hypermarkets, supermarkets and fast food outlets to enforce the proper use of bays designated for disabled parking.

As a result of my question, officers contacted the leading supermarkets in the Borough to ask what plans for better management of disabled bays, if any, they intended to employ.

The response was very disappointing with two of your stores, Summerville Farm and Billingham failing to respond. Ingleby Barwick and Eaglescliffe replied that it was a problem but that they do not intend to do anything about it.

This attitude is in stark contrast to one of your biggest competitors; Asda. Next week they are opening a new store in Portrack Lane Stockton and will be issuing fines to abusers of disabled parking bays.

People with disabilities have a hard enough time as it is without having to cope with abuse of their designated parking bays and I would like to think that all supermarket companies would adopt the same policy as Asda in an effort to help these extremely vulnerable people.

I look forward to your reply.

Yours sincerely

Cllr Alan Lewis

Cc Evening Gazette; Northern Echo; Darlington & Stockton Times.