Conundrum as neighbour uses Wigan woman's disability parking space

For while Delia Tighe was given approval by Wigan Council to have a reserved space outside her house in Buchanan Street, Leigh - and indeed they came and painted it for her - it is not within its power to enforce it.

This is a problem because Delia has a neighbour who has taken it upon himself to put his own vehicle there, leaving her unable to access it. Attempts to sort the issue out between the two parties, sadly, degenerated into an argument, with the neighbour refusing to accept that the space was for her.

And Delia’s appeals to the council to come to her aid, either to adjudicate on the matter or enforce it, have come to little. And what it boils down to is her having to appeal to the neighbour’s better nature to not park his car in the space.

The issue has been ongoing for around 12 months now and there is no sign of its being resolved.

Delia said: “What is the point of approving a disabled parking space, coming to paint it on for me and then doing nothing when someone else parks in it? This problem is making getting in and out of the house very difficult.”

A council spokeswoman said: “The disabled bays we install are advisory, therefore we cannot stop other drivers using them. They rely on the courtesy of others to leave them free for the disabled.”

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