'Nightmare' - Residents baffled as Cleveleys disabled parking bays move causes major confusion
“It’s disappointing news. The bays were in the perfect spot as they were.”
There has been some confusion about disabled parking bays in Cleveleys town centre after they disappeared from the main high street.
Residents on local social media chat groups raised concerns that the amenities had simply been removed from Victoria Road West, making things difficult for people with mobility issues.
Wyre Council has reassured residents that they have not been scrapped – the bays have simply been moved around the corner to facilitate changes to the footpath.
But this has not pleased everyone.
Disability parking campaigner Brian Roberts, who help reinstate seven bays on Clifton Street in Blackpool town centre earlier this year, says the relocation in Cleveleys will make life harder for those who have more extreme mobility issues.
He said: “It’s disappointing news. The bays were in the perfect spot as they were.
“For able-bodied people it may sound like nothing, but for anyone with breathing problems, severe cardiac issues or other sorts of mobility problems, having to walk that extra distance while shopping can be a nightmare.
“I’m not sure whether there has been an impact assessment in regard to this, but consultation with the people likely to be affected is always needed.”
A Wyre Council spokesman said: “These works form part of the town centre improvement scheme currently being delivered on the highway in Cleveleys.
“We would like to reassure residents that the disabled parking bays on Victoria Road West have not been removed. They have been relocated immediately around the corner onto Bispham Road, as close to the junction as possible, and no disabled bays have been lost.
“This change has enabled the completion of works to widen what was previously a very narrow section of footpath on Victoria Road West, creating a safer and more accessible environment for pedestrians.
“The scheme has been designed and delivered by Lancashire County Council on behalf of Wyre Council as part of a wider programme of improvements across the town centre.”