Blue badge holder slams police for parking van in a disabled space

Blue badge holder slams police for parking van in a disabled space claiming he was forced to park further away and it was a ‘real struggle’ to reach his destination

• Michael upset to see police van parked in disabled bay outside Bradford City Hall
• 55-year-old claims forced to park far away and struggled to reach destination
• West Yorks Police said was ‘operationally necessary’ to use space due to football

A disabled man has criticised police officers who parked in a disabled space – claiming it left him in a ‘real struggle’.

Michael, from nearby Halifax, says he was upset to find a police van parked in a disabled bay outside of Bradford City Hall earlier this month.

The 55-year-old, who has a blue badge, claims he was forced to park further away than usual and struggled to reach his final destination.

But West Yorkshire Police said it was ‘operationally necessary’ to use the space due to a football match that day. 

Michael says that doesn’t wash with him and the ordeal – which he caught on video – left him feeling like disabled people don’t matter.

He believes the police would have had time to plan their positions to avoid blocking disabled bays since they knew about the football match in advance of the date.

He said: ‘It made me so angry because they just don’t care about the needs of disabled people. It’s not good at all.

‘It’s just discrimination and we’re being ignored.

‘They just don’t take disabled parking spaces seriously. The football is not a reasonable excuse.

‘I’d totally get it if there had been an emergency like a terrorist attack or road accident, which are both unexpected.

‘But they know when the football is happening so have time to plan.

‘It’s an abuse of the disabled bay, and I had to park further away which was a real struggle for me.’

Michael said he had hoped to park in a disabled space when he travelled to Bradford to do some shopping but it was occupied by a police van on Saturday, March 18.

In the video, he accosts a traffic warden, asking them if they will give the police van a ticket.

While the  officer admits that he does not think the van should be parked in the space, he says he will not give them a ticket.

He later asks the police officers sitting in the van why they are parked there but receives no response. They drive off soon after.

Michael, who is a blue badge holder, says he was upset to find a police van parked in a disabled bay outside of Bradford City Hall earlier this month and the ordeal left him feeling like disabled people don’t matter

West Yorkshire Police said it was ‘operationally necessary’ to use the space due to a football match that day

In the video, he accosts a traffic warden, asking them if they will give the police van a ticket. While the officer admits that he does not think the van should be parked in the space, he says he will not give them a ticket 

He added that he often encounters difficulties with people parking in disabled spots at the supermarket.

But he believes the police should be more aware of their actions. 

While he doesn’t have a formal disability diagnosis, he suffers from emotional and breathing difficulties.

Michael said: ‘It’s very frustrating and makes you feel like you don’t matter.

‘But it’s more understandable from the general public than the police.’

A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said: ‘Officers using the police vehicle were responding to demand related to a football match.

‘Other available parking options were considered prior to it being deemed operationally necessary to park at that location.

‘The vehicle was moved to a designated Police parking bay as soon as it was possible to do so.’

Michael said that he often encounters difficulties with people parking in disabled spots at the supermarket

In the video he asks the police officers sitting in the van why they are parked there but receives no response. They drive off soon after

On March 18 Bradford, who are seventh in Sky Bet League Two, drew 2-2 with Hartlepool United, who are second from bottom.

A Bradford Council spokesperson said: ‘Council Wardens would not ask a police vehicle to move, if they had arranged with us in advance to park in a particular location, on police business.

‘They could also be dealing with an emergency.

‘We cannot guarantee a space outside City Hall, even if the police van had not been parked there, as this is a well-used location for Blue Badge holders.

‘But, there are lots of other places they can park, such as pay and display bays and yellow line restrictions if their time clock is displayed.’

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