Holyrood committee takes evidence on disabled parking legislation

The Local Government and Communities Committee has been undertaking post-legislative scrutiny of the act to determine how well it is working.

The act aims to make all disabled persons’ parking places legally enforceable, preventing the misuse of such parking places by those not entitled to use them. Currently, many disabled persons’ parking places are advisory and availability depends on the courtesy and consideration of other drivers.

The act requires every local authority to undertake a one-off audit of all disabled persons’ parking places within their area, whether on-street or off-street. Local authorities are required to convert all advisory on-street disabled persons’ parking places into enforceable parking places, unless they are no longer deemed necessary.

It places a duty on every local authority to enter into negotiations with the owners of existing off-street car parks containing disabled persons’ parking places with a view to making them enforceable parking places and, where they cannot initially obtain such agreement, to continue to seek such agreement at least once every two years.

Jackie Baillie, the member in charge of the bill, summed up its purpose in her opening statement.

Ms Baillie also talks about some of the evidence she’s seen in the past of the misuse of disabled parking places, including lawyers parking in disabled parking places outside Glasgow Sheriff Court.

The final evidence session will be held on 21 June.