Disabled drivers have been left frustrated with the virtual loss of disabled bays in a Monmouthshire town centre car park, prompting some to say they’re reluctant to visit local businesses.

A small section of Tiverton Place Car Park, in Abergavenny, has been dedicated to disabled drivers only for a number of years to offer more convenient access to businesses on High Street and Frogmore Street. However, Monmouthshire Council’s work to increase the number of bays in the car park has been criticised for effectively taking away the appropriate disabled access.

The council painted lines for new parking bays with standard white paint instead of yellow and there is no longer any hatched area around the bays.

“Disabled drivers simply cannot use these bays effectively,” said Benjamin Carter, who regularly visits Abergavenny from Blaenavon to do his shopping.

Mr Carter was left with mobility issues after a stroke, and says the new parking spots do not fulfil their purpose as disabled bays.

“There is no longer an area around the spaces that enable drivers to access their vehicles,” he explained.

“Disabled drivers need to be able to open the doors of their cars wider than an average person and some may need to transfer from wheelchairs but they are now unable to do that.”

“The lack of regard for disabled visitors to Abergavenny makes me want to take my business elsewhere. I would rather shop in Cwmbran now, simply because I know I will be able to park safely nearer to the shops I need.”

Work on the car park has also caused confusion for drivers without a blue badge due to the colour of the lines. While a sign near the entrance to the car park states the bays are for disabled drivers only, there is no visual difference between the new parking bays and a typical disabled parking zone.

Additionally, the former yellow lines for the old parking bays are still visible underneath the new lines. Concerns have been raised about drivers who don’t regularly use the car park being confused about which guides they need to follow.

However, Monmouthshire Council refused to back down on its record of ‘increasing’ the number of disabled bays in the town centre.

There has been no reduction in the number of disabled parking spaces in Tiverton Place car park since 2020,” a spokesperson said.

“Recent recruitment of civil enforcement officers has significantly increased the Council’s parking enforcement capacity. Enforcement officers regularly patrol our town centre car parks, and when necessary issue penalty charge notices for cars parked in disabled spaces without a disabled permit.”

“If disabled bays are full, blue badge holders can also park free of charge without time constraints in any general parking bay in Monmouthshire car parks.”

While drivers can be assured that the spaces are technically reserved for blue badge holders, Mr Carter says the council has missed the point entirely.

“Sadly, this reinforces my view that the council don’t care about the disabled,” he said.

“The complete lack of care that has been taken to do the work in the first place combined with the nonexistent consideration given to disabled drivers makes me angry.”

Monmouthshire Council has been asked again whether it recognises the issue.