A PENSIONER says greater provision needs to be made for disabled residents attending medical clinics after she received a parking ticket while attending an appointment at Ellesmere Port Civic Hall.

Maureen Wilson, 91, had parked in a disabled bay in the car park of the closed council offices next to the Civic Hall prior to her visit to a Seasonal Flu & Covid Vaccination Clinic arranged by One Ellesmere Port Primary Care Network (PCN) on September 19.

Maureen, who has mobility issues, said that the office car park held the only remaining available disabled parking spaces within a short walking distance and seemed ideal for the appointment. Whilst the car park is Permit Holder Only, the connected offices have been empty since May 2022.

When she exited the Civic Hall around an hour later, she noticed that her car and several others in the disabled bays had received a ticket.

Chester and District Standard: The car park outside the closed Council offices in relation to the Civic Hall.The car park outside the closed Council offices in relation to the Civic Hall. (Image: Google Street View)

Maureen said: "It was very unfair. If I could've walked from the town centre I would've done because I know that there's spaces by Aldi but that's a heck of walk when you're limping."

She added that herself and others who had attended the clinic - which focuses predominantly on vulnerable groups such as those aged 65 and over and those aged 18 to 64 in a clinical risk group - had been disappointed by the lack of disabled parking nearby.

"I just think it was very unreasonable and for people in future who are going to have their immunisations and jabs, you would think twice."

In an email written to the council with the help of her son and daughter-in-law, Maureen says the situation is a "systemic issue where individuals, particularly disabled citizens, are faced with fines due to a lack of accessible parking spaces."

"Several other disabled drivers, who were also attending appointments on the same day at the same venue, were penalised that day. This adds to my feeling that this is a deliberate attempt to create revenue and penalises vulnerable people."

She has also described the appeal process as "further evidences that your systems are designed to make it impossible for elderly people to challenge tickets, and discriminates against us due to our age and lack of familiarity with technology."

Ellesmere Port MP Justin Madders also contacted Maureen and attempted to have the fine annulled, however this appeal is understood to have been rejected.

The Standard approached Cheshire West and Chester Council who said that to park in the car park in question a blue badge holder would also need a separate parking permit and both must be displayed in the vehicle to permit parking.

A spokesperson said: "If the blue badge holder doesn’t have a permit also, they should park in the disabled badge bays in the main area of the car park.

"Blue badge holders can also park in any other parking space for four hours."