School and disabled parking

[suchafuss]

I have been parking in the primary school car park for a year with their permission as I am a blue badge holder. I have an invisable disability and do really need to park close.
Recently there have been lots of issues with parking with parents and taxi's following me into this car park which is only small.
Two days ago the admin person shouted at my children that they should not be in car park and then came to tell me I wasn't allowed to use the var park in future

AIBU to think they have a duty under the Equality Act towards disabled parents? don'r know what the hell I will do if they enforce this!

Our school only let staff use their car park. They close the gates at 8.30 and they reopen at 4.00. They do not have to allow you access. A fellow parent looked into it and made a complaint to the governors but didn't get anywhere.

If other parents are parking on the double yellows, which is your alternative option, then what about requesting traffic wardens to clear them off?

suchafuss - agreed - and I suspect that the school wants to but is torn between wanting to help you and other demands on them - and while some of those other demands may not be reasonable sadly the less reasonable they are the louder and more demanding they seem to be!

If you are seeing the head as you suggest, I think that what you need to do is to ask whether they can put in a disabled bay in the car park - they could mark it as 8-9 / 2.30 - 3.30 or something if they don't want to lose space for visitors during the day - but for the cost of some paint they would give themselves the ammunition to explain to other parents / taxis why you are allowed in and others are not - or a sign on the gate saying staff / blue badge only at pick-up / drop-off

i.e. find a way of thinking through their issues / difficulties and offer a solution which works for them (and you) then you make it easy for them to say yes...

That must be annoying for you, OP. I suspected you might have an issue with walking for some reason for them to say you could use the car park originally, and they would probably be happy for you to continue to use the car park if they could just stop the freeloaders coming in behind you!

Our school sometimes have community Police officers patrolling in the morning to stop people parking on the zig zags, would this be an option?

I hope the appointment goes well next week, I would hope that it focuses more on how to help you get your children safely into school rather than you feeling you have to justify your medical history. Don't feel you have to go into details, as a PP has said it is up to them to stop the drivers that shouldn't be there.

Our school of approximately 400 children has 16 disabled parents who come by car. They park on the double yellow lines in the school road. I would be very surprised if you are the only person needing the space. They couldn't accommodate everyone.

akkakk You're really misunderstanding the law and the duty to provide reasonable adjustments. It isn't about a "parking legislation" and you are not right. The Equality Act includes access to places and this incorporates parking. My university didn't provide any parking to all students. However, without disabled student parking places, most students would not have been able to come to university at all. Therefore, providing parking spaces is a reasonable adjustment. As a disabled person, I've found loads of places who provide me with parking where they don't provide parking for others.

A disabled parking bay in the school car park could be used by any disabled parent/ grand parent/ carer collecting a child though.

doggity Not misunderstanding the law, organisations have to make reasonable adjustments where they are needed to allow someone to use a service etc.

For a school, parking is not a requirement in offering education, it is a benefit or bonus, and there is theoretically the ability for the OP to park on yellow lines outside the school, equally the OP could gain access via wheelchair, it is not a requirement that the OP can drive there, simply that the OP is not blocked from getting there... so there is no legal requirement for the school to provide parking to assist as it can be seen that there are several options already available to the OP... if parking was a requirement then every high street shop would have to provide parking - but that is not the case... The OP has access without having to park in that specific spot... the fact that others might be parked illegally on the yellow lines preventing the OP from parking there doesn't create a need for the school to provide parking elsewhere

However, as you mention, many places do help, not because they legally have to, but because they want to help with good customer service. In fact one of the best outcomes from the equality act was to increase the awareness of needs resulting in decent organisations helping...

The reason for my initial post was because the OP referenced the equality act in her original post, however I think that seems to have been out of frustration, (understandable) and that is not the route she is taking, but in chatting with the head, the focus should be on ways the school can help as both want, without causing issues for the school as a result...

Trying to suggest that there is a legislative obligation for the school is only likely to cause issues, I think that any school receiving such an approach would simply tell the OP to park on the yellow lines, or bring a wheelchair, and if no space on the yellow lines, talk to the council... however a more gentle approach on how the school could help without creating other issues, should be far more constructive...

Have you though about coming latter when everyone has gone . The office in my kids old school could hold kids for about 1/2 hour .the woman that had loads of kids was always late so kids could just jump in the car.
My blue badge holding child had to walk to our car as I could cope with parking nearer the school.

I had this, years ago with my son's blue badge. You are allowed to use the badge as long as you're not obstructing. ANYWHERE.

No you can't actually.

Ahh, Piglet things may have changed then. Apologies.

Our school any parent parks in the disabled bay, any parent parks on the double yellows. So I can sympathise. Talk to the head and see if there's a workable solution. Admin lady was not on approaching you like that. If their offer had been receded, that's not how you deal with it.

akkakk I'm not trying to be awkward but you are not giving correct advice, except the fact that I do agree the OP should approach it gently and politely.

The school cannot ask the OP to use a wheelchair. That is not reasonable and not lawful. It may be acceptable if they provide wheelchairs but otherwise, no way. The school, legally, absolutely do need to provide a way for their students to access the building and this includes parents, as there will be numerous opportunities for parents to be invited it and legally, they do need to ensure disabled people can access.

You're fixating on how there isn't parking for others but that's not the point. Healthy people can walk but OP can't, hence why she can't park further and walk in. They are obstructing access if they don't make reasonable adjustments.

I imagine the school could argue that the adjustments made are that there are double yellow lines outside the school (assuming there are no steps or obstructions between the road and the school) so only those with a blue badge may park there. The people that are causing the problem aren't the school but are the people parking there illegally and the school cannot be held responsible for the illegal actions of others although they could send a notice around to parents reminding them of the law.

Doggity I think you are misunderstanding the situation :)
The equality act means that organisations need to do whatever is reasonable to assist those who need it...
In a situation like this the school might assess it on two levels:

• access to drop off children
• access into the school

The school's responsibility starts at the gates, not beforehand - it is not the school's responsibility to offer disabled parking if there is no other parking, it is not the school's responsibility to work out how the OP is going to get to the school Once the op is there, then they need to ensure that there is no block to the OP doing what is needed - this could be to provide a ramp / wider entry if someone turns up in a wheelchair, it might even be to provide a bench in the playground if that is where parents wait to collect children - but it does not include having to manage or enable the OP's whole journey to the school - the reality is that the OP could well have difficulties with every part of the school run from getting the children ready to out of the house, to getting to the school, to getting into the school - but not all parts of that are the responsibility of the school - only the latter bit...

Once the OP is at school then they do need to make sure it is accessible, but that doesn't have to mean parking - if the school offers parking for parents, then they would need to ensure that what they offer is accessible (e.g. disabled spot), but no school is obliged to offer parking...

I am not suggesting the school tell her to use a wheelchair - but in assessing their responsibility they are allowed to acknowledge that the OP has choices in how she gets to school and that those are not the school's responsibilities...

The issue as above is not the school's issue, but that others are parking where they shouldn't - that is a council / highways / police issue and I suspect that would be a good avenue to explore...

Fortunately the OP has indicated a mature approach in having a chat :) I suspect that anyone approaching a school and telling them they have legal responsibilities under the equality act in areas which are nothing to do with the school is likely to get short shrift and a school not setting out to help... whereas here it is about building a strong relationship not throwing around inaccurate legal claims...

Although extremely annoying, just politely tell him that you are consdered disabled and if he can not make a scene about it next time. If he carries on being ignorant then complain.
You also do not have to tell him your disability, you dont owe him anything

OP, it's really sad how few people realise the barriers disabled people have to face even doing simple things. They just take it for granted.

I hope the school are supportive and can help you reach a resolution,