Drivers who park in York city centre Blue Badge spaces will be fined, a council transport official has said following a complaint about the misuse of bays in Blake Street.

The complainant claimed they wanted to park in Blake Street but found the loading bay reserved for Blue Badge holders occupied by other cars and scooters.

They told City of York Council it had made them wary of using the bays in the future if they decided to come to the city centre for an evening out.

Council highways and transport lead Michael Howard told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) officers regularly patrolled Blue Badge bays and enforcement would be increased if repeat offences took place.

It follows a decision on Tuesday, March 11 to make Blue Badge parking permanent in the bays in Blake Street, along with those in Lendal and Davygate following a trial.

An Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) introduced Blue Badge parking in loading bays in Blake Street and Lendal from 10.30am to 6am the following day last April.

The order also permitted Blue Badge parking from 5pm to 6am the next day in Davygate.

Council transport spokesperson Cllr Kate Ravilious said the decision to make parking permanent was part of York’s Labour administration’s commitment to making the city centre accessible for all.

Kate Ravilious. Pic: CYCKate Ravilious. Pic: CYC

Two comments were lodged in support of the plans while two people objected.

One of them made the complaint about drivers without Blue Badges using the Blake Street bays in June.

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They said: “I attempted to use one of these spaces as I was visiting City Screen.

“I do hope this can be monitored in future.

“I’m rather disappointed as this doesn’t give me the confidence to use these bays again should I wish to visit the town centre again for an evening out.”

Council Head of Highways and Transport Mr Howard said the authority’s officers, the police and anti-fraud firm Veritau were regularly on the ground patrolling the bays, including in Blake Street.

The official said: “When a vehicle is found parked in a disabled bay without a valid badge, a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) will be issued.

“If there is found to be a particular location where infringements are happening frequently then we will respond by increasing our enforcement of that area.”

Tuesday’s meeting heard no enforcement issues had been raised in Blake Street since those referenced in the complaint.

Council Transport Executive Member Cllr Ravilious told the meeting the decision to make Blue Badge parking permanent would allow disabled drivers to stay in York longer.

She added the council recognised there was still more to do to make the whole of the city centre accessible.

Cllr Ravilious said: “Our transport policy is to have Blue Badge parking within 150m of key trip attractors, but we recognise that there are still parts of the city centre that are further away such as the Post Office in Coney Street.

“We know there’s still work to be done but this is a great step forward.”