Survey Results
Results 2009/2010
Blue Badge holders face insults and intimidation when trying to park
Results of a recent Baywatch survey show that not only do disabled people have trouble parking at the supermarket but also face verbal abuse if they dare to question a non Blue Badge holder. These are just a few of the comments noted by Baywatch participants who surveyed their local supermarkets for Disabled parking.
“I can’t count the number of times I’ve been sworn at or threatened with violence whenever I have spoken to a non Blue Badge holder.” Mr Harrison, Doncaster
“What used to be disabled spaces are now ‘parent and child’ spaces and the parking attendants are rude and threatening to any disabled people trying to park in what used to be their bays. Members of the public are worse. One outraged mother threatened to break my windscreen and let down my tyres while I was in the shop. Her “toddler” was about 12 years old!” Anon, York
“I asked a man if he knew he was taking up a disabled bay he said “Yes, but why should you get better parking?”
When I tried to explain I have difficulties walking and need that space he said “Why don’t you just f**k off and stay at home then?” Thomas, County Durham
“I always have difficulty finding a disabled parking space. Sometimes I have to go to another supermarket.” Miss Taylor, Yorkshire
But it’s not all bad news.
The winner of the 2010 survey was Sainsbury’s. Although they still had an average level of parking abuse of 16%, we were delighted that almost half of our surveyors reported 0% abuse in Sainsbury’s car parks.
Well over half of those who visited Sainsbury’s reported that there were signs up warning that people using the accessible bays without a Blue Badge would be issued with a penalty charge notice. And it’s not just window-dressing. Sainsbury’s Customer Service Director Jacki Connor said “Last year we introduced a nationwide scheme of monitors to help keep our disabled bays open for those who need them. It is great to hear that they are having a real impact.”
The worst supermarket for parking abuse was Tesco, where almost a quarter of all accessible bays were being used by people without a Blue Badge. Although Tesco claim that they are starting to enforce bays at some of their supermarkets, only a measly 10% of people reported any sign of this.
A Tesco spokesperson said “We favour the carrot not the stick. The great majority of our customers observe the policy well.” This was a nearly identical statement to that issued in 2007 when they also told Mobilise that they “preferred the carrot not the stick”.
Helen Smith, Director of Policy & Campaigns, was unimpressed. She said “It’s disappointing that neither Tesco’s policy or statement seems to have changed, despite bay abuse getting significantly worse – surely that carrot must be long past its sell-by-date now?”
Asda was the first supermarket to make a commitment to enforcing their disabled bays. In 2007 they were joint worst supermarket with Tesco with 23% of their bays being used by people without Blue Badges, but since Asda introduced enforcement this has dropped to 19.2%.
Disappointingly, Morrisons, who came top of the last Baywatch survey with just 13% parking abuse, has seen a significant increase to 17.2% of its bays being used by non-Blue Badge holders.
Enforcement works
This year’s Baywatch survey shows that enforcement does work, with a measurable improvement at those stores where it has been introduced.
Helen Dolphin said “In order to see real improvements for their disabled customers supermarkets need to do more than just put up signs – they need to practice active enforcement as well.”
It’s not acceptable for supermarkets to pass the buck on to their disabled customers by refusing to monitor their bays. Instead, supermarkets should ensure that disabled customers can come in and shop – without fear of intimidation.
Further Information:
Helen Dolphin, Director of Policy & Campaigns for Disabled Motoring UK, is available for interview. Contact her via the National Office on 01508 489 449 or info@disabledmotoring.org
1. What is Baywatch?
The Baywatch Campaign is run by a coalition of disability organisations: Disabled Motoring UK, Disability Now Magazine, and The British Polio Fellowship.
It aims to encourage supermarkets to enforce their bays and keep them free for the people who really need them, and to raise awareness of the problems experienced by disabled people who cannot park near their destination due to parking abuse.
2. What is parking abuse?
Accessible parking bays (also known as disabled bays) should be for the use of Blue Badge holders only – disabled people who display the Blue Badge in their windscreen.
3. Who surveyed the car parks?
Over 550 disabled people carried out the survey in their local supermarket car parks.
They counted the number of accessible bays, and the numbers of cars parked in those bays without displaying a Blue Badge. They also reported on whether individual stores had any visible enforcement mechanism in place.
Past Surveys
To date there have been five previous surveys. Although the results are slightly better than when the first survey was carried out in 2002 there is still a lot of work to be done.
RESULTS 2007
Percentage of disabled bays being used without a badge:
Morrisons 13%
Sainsbury’s 18%
Asda 23%
Tesco 23%
Average 19.25%
The figures showed that, on average, more than 1 in five bays surveyed were occupied by people too lazy or selfish to park elsewhere.
RESULTS 2005
Percentage of disabled bays being used without a badge:
Safeway/Morrisons 19.4%
Sainsbury’s 18%
Asda 21%
Tesco 21%
Average 19.85%
