People with disabilities could have their own disabled parking space outside their home under new proposals being put forward
It comes after increasing reports of disabled people across Bolton struggling with other car owners parking outside their homes leaving them with nowhere to leave their own cars, according to Cllr Debbie Newall.
With many of Bolton’s streets made up of traditional terraced housing, this means that often the only parking available for people is in front of their homes.
Cllr Newall said: “I was approached by a resident who lives on the main road in Kearsley.
“They adopted a disabled boy 20 years ago and for all that time, they did everything, spared no expense but the one thing they can’t do is park right up to their house to take his wheelchair in.”
She added: “If you live in a terraced house or somewhere that doesn’t have off-road parking it must be a daily nightmare.”
According to Cllr Newall, the other nine Greater Manchester boroughs all offer disabled parking outside eligible residents’ homes.
As such she said she plans to put a motion before Bolton Council to bring the same services to the borough.
Most of the other councils around Greater Manchester, and across the UK, charge residents for the disabled bay service with costs ranging from £75 in Salford and £150 in Rochdale.
The residents will help to fund the scheme at a time when resources in Bolton, like many other local authorities all over the country, have been stretched.
As it stands, Bolton Council does not provide bays outside of people’s houses with any bays seen in the town centre or near shops intended for general use and not attached to a single property.
But if Cllr Newall’s motion is approved then the authority will then consider how the scheme can be introduced.
She said: “In the grand scheme of things it’s a small thing but could make a massive difference.”
The motion will go to a full meeting of the council on Wednesday June 22.
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