Disabled people have been left unable to visit a community leisure centre due to parents parking illegally in Blue Badge spaces during the school run.
Residents have complained to Ponteland Leisure Centre about the 'large number' of cars parking without Blue Badge passes in designated disabled bays during school pick-up and drop-off times.
The Leisure Centre is less than one mile from Ponteland Primary School and Ponteland High School, and located on the same council owned site on Callerton Lane.
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The close distance between the sites has turned the leisure centre into a 'make shift school car park' for parents to collect their children from school, according to mum-of-one Kate Fletcher Günüşen.
43-year-old Kate, who lives in Ponteland, said that her 80-year-old disabled mother Pamela Fletcher had been unable to park in a disabled bay on 'several occasions' due to the spaces being used by 'inconsiderate' parents who don't display a Blue Badge.
"My mother has scoliosis of the spine and issues with her legs, which makes walking extremely difficult for her," said Kate.
"Every week she attends the leisure centre with my three-year-old for toddler soft play, which is around 3pm. Unfortunately that is the same time the schools come out for the day.
"There have been times where she has had to drive round the car park's one-way system for over twenty minutes waiting for a disabled bay to become free.
"It's incredibly frustrating and really disrespectful. I wouldn't dream of parking in a disabled bay, even for five minutes, but they stay there for up to 40 minutes, usually just shamelessly sat in the car on their phone.
"The centre is being used as a extra car park for the school, and it shouldn't be. If there is an issue with parents not being able to park close to the school for whatever reason, that needs to be addressed, but it can't continue like this.
"I think it's just laziness on the parents' behalf if I'm honest."
Kate said that on one visit to the leisure centre she counted just six out of 'around 20' cars parked in a disabled bay had a Blue Badge in the window.
She said that the drivers would 'avoid her gaze and clearly feel awkward' but still refused to move their illegally parked cars.
She also said that she had taken the issue up with Ponteland Leisure Centre directly, which acknowledged the issue, but said as it was a council owned car park it was not their responsibility.
"The leisure centre and all the staff are brilliant, but this situation is causing the centre to loose money because it puts people off using their car park, and therefore visiting the centre," said Kate.
"That's such a shame because it's a great community hub with lots of amazing facilities for all age groups, and we're lucky to have it on our doorstep.
"Because of the current parking situation, disabled people could find themselves excluded from using the centre because they can't park up anywhere safely, which just isn't fair."
According to Kate, Pamela has been forced in the past to park in a regular bay due to all of the disabled spaces being illegally parked in, which she worries poses a safety concern for her family.
"I worry about my elderly mother trying to navigate a busy car park with a three-year-old in tow," she said. "But when they can park in a disabled bay close to the door, it minimises the risk of an accident.
"I need that peace of mind that both of them will be safe when they visit."
Ponteland Primary School was contacted by the Chronicle, but declined to comment.
Its policy for parking on the website tells parents to "encourage child(ren) to walk, scoot or cycle to school whenever possible".
The school's policies for driving to school are as follows:
- Drive only part of the way, and drop their child(ren) off away from the school so that some of the journey can be walked or scooted.
- If you do have to drive child(ren) and stop in the near vicinity please do so legally, safely and with respect for neighbours and local residents
- It is not acceptable to park or wait on double yellow lines, on the school zigzags or across residential driveways for any period of time.
- Car sharing - taking it in turns to bring other nearby families into school.
Northumberland County Council said that a parking order is to be applied for at the leisure centre car park, which will see Penalty Charge Notices being dealt to vehicles parking in disabled bays without displaying blue badges.
A spokesperson for the council said: "We are aware of the ongoing issues regarding parking on this site, in particular users parking in accessible bays without a blue badge.
"Building users are regularly advised about the need to keep these bays vacant for those who specifically need them.
"A parking order is to be applied for which will include both the north and south car parks.
"This will allow the council's Civil Enforcement Officers to issue Penalty Charge Notices to vehicles parking in contravention of the new terms and conditions of the car park. "
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