'˜Bone idle' parking is raising safety fears

Wigan council has said that parking enforcement officers will inspect the area in light of concerns raised by members of the public over double yellow parking.

Disgruntled DW Gym members contacted the Observer after “numerous” near misses with children running out from behind the parked cars.

One complainant, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “If you go past the Soccerdome during the evening on a weekday you will see the sheer number of bone idle people putting people’s lives at risk by parking on the double yellow lines.

“Despite there being two big car parks either side of the building, scores of people choose to leave them empty and instead park directly outside the main doors on double yellow lines and sometimes fully mounting the pavements.

“There are very often children around playing with footballs and running from in between the cars but as long as people can save themselves from walking an extra 20 metres it just seems that the couldn’t care less. This kind of behaviour is really dangerous and unnecessary.”

The Observer has contacted Soccerdome but has so far not received a comment.

Last year DW Gym came under fire from patients using the Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS blood test services previously located at the site.

The clinic annex at the DW Sports Gym, also on Stadium Way, was closed in December and moved to the Thomas Linacre Centre after uproar over £2 parking charges

Wigan Council has also introduced parking fees at Robin Park Leisure Centre from 7am until 9pm seven days a week.

Non-members will have to pay and display.