to think this pub shouldn't say this on their disabled bays?

[madhairday]

A sign by a pub's disabled parking bays I saw today: 'For use by disabled customers except when car park is full '

Now the bays were not marked with disabled bay markers, but there were no other disabled customers' parking bays.

Does this go against the DDA, right of access etc? So basically, if the car park is full, tough if you're disabled? Never mind that if you're able bodied you can park elsewhere and walk over - it's effectively turning disabled customers away in this instance.

I think it's against equal access.

Seems reasonable. The pub is doing a nice thing that they don't have to do, but don't want to have to turn away customers if there are still spaces. If anyone complained about it I should imagine they would remove the spaces altogether, so they could compete with the pubs with no disabled spaces.

Sirzy yes there are two spaces, both larger and both near the door.

The pub is a large one with a much bigger car park than usual, around 40 spaces I would say.

Interesting responses. Thanks. Still not made up my mind as to whether I abu or anbu I see both sides, tbh. I'm still leaning towards the pub making the bays one thing, I don't think trying to do both works, and I think there should be disabled bays provided in a car park this size. I may well be wrong.

I'm not sure, it depends on if there's space for an able bodied person to park nearby and walk. If there is, then it's unreasonable-although knowing people I suspect enough people would do it anyway as people will park anywhere to save a short walk. And then it's the cheeky people who gain from that.

If there is nowhere else to park in reasonable walking distance, then it is exactly equal access. Because if a non-disabled person would not be able to so if they didn't use the space in case a disabled person turned up then that's giving the (possibly non-existant) disabled person priority. So if you're down to just disabled spaces then it's entirely on first come first served and the second come is turned away.

However I know if I was the person who parked there I wouldn't enjoy a meal as I'd be popping up and down to check if another space had come free so I could move if that happened.

I think YA probably BU. The landlord is doing more to enable access for his disabled customers than many many other pubs do.

It also depends on where the pub is. Some of the pubs I go to are off dual carriageways or in the middle of nowhere. You can't just 'park somewhere else and walk', there is nowhere else. In those circumstances you take a risk - if there are no parking spaces left you just go home. That would be exactly the same for all customers, disabled or not. So, for pubs like this, I think courtesy spaces are a nice thing but should not be enforced if the carpark is full.

If however, the pub is in a town with other parking a short walk away then YANBU and the disabled spaces should be reserved exclusively for the disabled user.

madhairday

True sookie, but it could be argued at least in some sense.

I'm not sure, but feel it's fairly rotten for a disabled person to come in and have no space because the car park was full so someone else went there. Don't know the legalities myself.

No different to an able-bodied person coming and and having no space because the car park is full, is it?

I'd have said that as most pubs don't provide disabled parking at all, that it's perfectly reasonable not to expect them to loose trade.

It is in a town, with parking on the road outside, and more roads around. I know what you mean about pubs in the middle of nowhere, it would be more problematic.

Flatpack I'd argue that it is different because able bodied people can get a space elsewhere.

DMum, who manages very short distances on crutches or uses a wheel chair, wouldn't want to go to the pub if it was full.

She can't bend her legs easily and gets really embarrassed if everyone has to move for her.

Disability discrim doesnt mean that they have to provide parking. AFAIK its an add on.

What it does mean is that everyone has an equal chance of getting parked. Yes if there are lots of spaces diasabled people get the chance of a ?closer/wider/easier access space which is the point.

for what its worth with a small car park near to a road i actually tend to park on the road as i can use double yellow lines where as people without a blue badge cannot,obviously if the car park is large and a it would be harder for me to manage the walk i wouldnt.