Layout and use of disabled parking spaces

Grandad99

Our local Country Park car park has recently added a second pair of 2 disabled bays.  As these photos show they are marked in different ways
The top is the new one.

Yesterday as I parked in the right hand bay of the new one a group of motorcyclists came in and parked on the hatched space between the bays. My wife managed to get out of the passenger seat and get to her rollator but when I spoke to the motorcyclists they reckoned that they were allows to use this area.  Are there any national rules covering this?

Also is there a recommended standard guide about how bays should be marked?   

KeithP

The answer to both your questions is - no.

Coupon-mad

Where is that place and did you get a close up of the sign please? 

daveyjp

Looks like a private parking sign.

Regardless the motorcyclists were ignorant and don't care about anyone but themselves.

It would be a shame if their bikes 'fell over' while parked in that area.

badmemory

I thought yellow hatching meant it was a no-no unless you were just going through.

400ixl

badmemory said:

I thought yellow hatching meant it was a no-no unless you were just going through.

The public highway and private land are two entirely different things. On private land the highway code does not apply.

Common courtesy would tell you not to park motorbikes on the hatched area as it is there to allow disabled drivers to fully open their doors for access.

Grandad99

Thanks everyone.

It's Teston Bridge Country Park near Maidstone. one of several run by Kent County Council. Parking is monitored by cctv, pay daily or get an annual season ticket, season ticket at reduced price for blue badge holders.

This notice on original 2 bays, nothing on the 2 new ones - will ask the Ranger to get one done.

KeithP

More 'on behalf of' rubbish on that sign...

fisherjim

Parking is not managed by CCTV it's by ANPR according to Kent CC and as this whole site is owned and managed by Kent County Council they are in breach of government regulation and should be reported to the Secretary of State IMHO even the BPA scammers club states:

Where Civil Parking Enforcement (CPE) is not in place local authorities will manage public car parks (Off Street Parking) under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. They issue Fixed Penalty Notices or Excess Charge Notices and these are criminal penalties.

Quite obviously without saying it below Euro have signed up their usual contract of free car park management for the PCN pickings while the council get the parking pay and display money:

5.3 Car Park
There is a surfaced car park on site and in 2021 the overflow car park was surfaced due to
an increase in visitor numbers all year round.
ANPR cameras are used to monitor the car park and Euro carparks are employed to monitor
and enforce the parking rules. The equipment, signage and cameras were funded by Euro
carparks. The pay and display machines are maintained by Metric who are contracted to
repair any faults within 24 hours, site rangers carry out routine repairs.

https://www.kent.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/70801/Teston-Bridge-Country-Park-Management-Plan.pdf

I know it wasn't your original concern @Grandad99 but they should not be allowed to get away with lining the pockets of a scummy PPC and be reminded what happened to High Wycombe CC who had their access to the DVLA suspended and their cosy try out using a PPC cost them over 100K I believe!

PARKING POLICY IN ENGLAND

Enforcement with approved devices (CCTV)

The Secretary of State with has the power to prohibit the use of CCTV or ‘other
devices’ in connection with parking enforcement. Some CCTV uses Automatic
Numberplate Recognition (ANPR) technology. This is legislated by Section 53
of the Deregulation Act 2015. 69
The Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions (England) General
(Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2015,70 made under section 53 of the 2015 Act,
came into force on 1 April 2015. They tighten the circumstances in which CCTV
may be used as the sole evidence for issuing an on-street parking ticket but
they do not prohibit the use of CCTV for on-street parking enforcement
entirely.
The Government’s revised parking guidance to local authorities sets out how
this should work in practice. This states that any device used in parking
enforcement must be certified by The Secretary of State. Once certified they
may be called an ‘approved device’. PCNs must not be served by post based
on evidence from an approved device other than when a parked vehicle meets
a specific set of criteria and where enforcement is difficult or sensitive. The
guidance also recommends that the authority sends a copy of the record of
the contravention (in the form of a still image or images) with the PCN.7

https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN02235/SN02235.pdf