Disabled parking bays in Westgate Street are to be removed as part of a city centre transport review.
Following our previous post on one woman's plight to get a disabled parking bay outside her home after her car was towed from Westgate Street, Cardiff council has agreed to two new bays on Womanby Street.
Council officers from the Major Projects Team responsible for transport changes in the city centre said the new parking bays would form part of a review of the city's disabled parking strategy.
The city centre wide project proposes to remove all the disabled parking bays from Westgate Street to make way for a bus lane.
The proposals include creating like for like numbers of parking bays elsewhere in the city centre on Churchill Way, Park Street and Guildhall Place.
Two objections to the proposals were received, and council officials said the Womanby Street parking bays would be implemented as part of a separate scheme to repave Womanby Street – with the aim of them being completed by the end of the current financial year.
Responding to the council's proposals, disabled parking space user Pippa Bennett said:
"Obviously I am very relieved that finally someone has acknowledged there is a need for disabled bays on Womanby Street but I am very concerned that the bays on Westgate street might be taken away.
"The council says they will match them like for like in other areas of the city but I am very concerned this will not happen."
Bennett's car was towed from Westgate Street for security reasons during a Royal visit to the Millennium Stadium. South Wales Police have told Bennett she will not be re-compensated for the fee paid to release her car.
A Cardiff council spokesperson said:
"Cardiff council's current procedure means that any disabled parking bay which is removed must be replaced in a new location. The process is part of one legal traffic regulation order which means the replacement of new disabled bays is guaranteed.
"The council's disabled parking strategy is currently undergoing a review. The city centre, including Westgate Street will be part of this review."
