Motorists given dressing down

Drivers abusing disabled parking restrictions have been given a dressing down from those affected by their actions.

Drivers abusing disabled parking restrictions have been given a dressing down from those affected by their actions.

Members of North Walsham Area Access Group joined officers from the North Walsham Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) for two patrols in a bid to educate motorists who park next to dropped kerbs.

Offenders who were caught, were offered a restorative approach as an alternative to a �30 fixed penalty notice, where members of the access group explained how parking next to dropped kerbs would cause them difficulties.

Police community support officer Imogen Palmer said: "Two motorists were found to be parking next to dropped kerbs and both opted for the restorative approach.

"They were very apologetic and one young female said that she should have known better as her grandmother used a mobility scooter."

Chris Wayte, chairman of the North Walsham Area Access Group, who has been disabled since 2006 after losing his leg as a result of arthritis, first raised the issue as a priority to the team.

He said: "If you use a manual wheelchair or mobility scooter and access to a dropped kerb is blocked you cannot cross the road. You have to travel to the next dropped kerb which could be quite a distance, and when you are using a wheelchair this is not easy."

Officers from the North Walsham SNT have said they will continue to carry out patrols and work alongside the access group.