A woman has hit out at inconsiderate drivers who use parking spaces meant for disabled people like her.
Susan Stewart (57), says she is fed up looking for disabled spaces when out shopping only to find cars parked without any blue badges in the windscreen.
She got in touch with The Courier because she wants to raise awareness of the issue and shame drivers who take up disabled spaces when they shouldn’t.
Susan, who stays in Craigshill, said when she wants to go shopping in Livingston, she has her husband park at the former Bank of Scotland public car park at Almondvale South.
She says she also sometimes uses the Asda car park but says she faces the same problem wherever she goes.
Susan - who has rheumatoid arthritis - told The Courier she believes action has to be taken.
She said: “People are abusing the disabled spaces, it’s everyone from workers to people shopping.
“It’s an absolute disgrace. It’s been going on for too long.
“The council has gone down to the old Bank of Scotland car park and re-painted all the disabled bays down there, along with the double yellow lines.
“The only way you can park on the double yellow lines if you have a blue badge.
“It’s all newly painted so it’s quite obvious where people can park.
“I’ve seen a policeman there who was blitzing it, but when they go away it just starts again.
“More needs to be done to enforce it.”
A West Lothian Council spokesperson said people parking in disabled spaces when they are not entitled to are “irresponsible and inconsiderate”.
And he urged drivers to park responsibly and only use disabled spaces if they have a blue badge.
He continued: “The public car park beside the former Bank of Scotland site in Livingston has a legal Traffic Regulation Order in place for waiting restrictions and disabled parking bays.
“This means that any misuse of the double yellow lines and the disabled parking bays can be enforced by Police Scotland, who are the only ones with the legal power to do so.
“We would encourage all West Lothian residents and visitors to our area to park responsibly, and not use disabled spaces unless they have an authorised blue badge and are entitled to do so.
“Disabled car parking spaces are in place to help ensure that those with mobility issues can access important services, so it is both irresponsible and inconsiderate to misuse them.”
Police Scotland Inspector Brendan McMahon issued a warning to drivers who misuse the disabled parking bays that his officers will take action against them.
He added: “Disabled bays are intended to allow those with mobility issues to park as close as possible to their destination.
“We want motorists to understand the impact of their actions of parking in disabled bays without legitimate reasons for doing so. We do not condone the behaviour of an inconsiderate minority.
“As a consequence we have highlighted the issue via our social media page and have taken enforcement action in order to bring about change in driver behaviour. We will continue to take action where appropriate.”
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