AN ANGRY motorist is warning that disabled people could start avoiding Bolton town centre after a clampdown on parking at Ashburner Street market.

Until last week officials turned a blind eye to disabled drivers parking for free in non-disabled spaces at the market car park.

On Friday several drivers displaying their orange badges returned to find £20 fines slapped on their cars.

Bolton Council's parking shop on Chorley Street was inundated with frustrated drivers complaining about the charges.

One driver caught out by the clampdown was Ronald Young, of Meltham Place, Willows.

He was taking his wife, who is entitled to an orange badge due to a heart condition, shopping.

The couple come into Bolton several times a week and always park at Ashburner Street because it is only a short distance for Mrs Young to walk to the market. The four designated disabled spaces were already taken so Mr Young parked elsewhere and displayed the orange badge.

After half an hour the Youngs returned to their car and discovered an attached parking fine.

"It was quite upsetting getting a ticket. I saw no warning notices," said Mr Young. "This will certainly put people off coming to Bolton. For us it is just as easy to go to Farnworth or Salford." Bolton Council agreed to cancel Mr Young's fine and those of the other affected drivers and, for the next week only, warning notices will be placed on disabled vehicles instead of parking tickets.

Ian Taylor, Bolton Council's head of parking services, said that for some time disabled drivers had been allowed to park free in non-designated spaces because signs warning them not to had been defaced. But following a review of parking in the town in September, it was decided to replace the notices and enforce the regulations.

He added that the rules are needed because the council wants to encourage a quick turnover of shoppers using the market and disabled drivers taking up spaces for up to three hours hampers this.

Mr Taylor said if more disabled bays were needed then this is something which could be discussed with market managers.

Ashburner Street car park is the only one of the council-run car parks that the disabled bay rules apply to.

A map showing the locations of all the other car parks in Bolton where disabled motorists can leave their cars for free is available from the Chorley Street shop or information centres.