Welsh discuss creation of pregnancy parking bays

December 9, 2009 by Shawn Douglas
Filed under: News

Welsh assembly members will soon vote on a scheme to extend extra parking bays to women in their last three months of pregnancy.

In a scheme proposed by Welsh assembly member Darren Millar, heavily pregnant women would receive a temporary pink badge — similar to the blue badge used by the disabled — to place in their vehicles, allowing them to park in designated pregnancy parking bays.

Additionally, councils would be given the authority to punish those who inappropriately use the pregnancy parking bays, similar to how misuse of bays for disabled people can be punished with a fine.

Millar, assembly member for Clwyd West, told Wales Online: “This is about providing additional parking places for pregnant women, not about pregnant ladies competing with blue badge holders for spaces. It’s about giving pregnant ladies in those last three months a bit of extra help so they aren’t struggling with heavy shopping bags and walking from one end of the car park to the other.”

“There is evidence to suggest that a lot of pregnant women in the later stages stay away from shops because they can’t cope with the walking. And there have been examples of them being prosecuted for using mother and baby spaces.”

Currently Wales designates parent and child parking spaces in many car parks to allow extra room for baby prams and child seat removal.

Under the proposed scheme, women in their last three months of pregnancy would be able to obtain a pink parking pass from their general practitioner or midwife, giving them access to the new spaces.

Yet many argue that even with the creation of the bays, enforcement will be vital to keep inappropriate use to a minimum.

Alison Watkins, a PR consultant with a six-month-old child, told Wales Online: “Parent and child spaces are often full with people who don’t have children with them and I would guess that spaces for pregnant women would also be used by those who are not pregnant.”

“It’s a good idea, but how you regulate it to ensure it benefits those in need, definitely needs more thought.”

Millar acknowledged the necessity for enforcement with the creation of the bays. “There is a lot of abuse of the blue badge system and people do take advantage of mum and tot bays you find in supermarkets,” he said.

“If we are able to introduce this legislation it will also give local authorities the power to penalize motorists who park in these bays in the same way that someone who parks in a disabled bay can receive a fine. Enforcement of privately-run or supermarket car parks would be the responsibility of the company or retailer.”