Drivers are now supportive of new measures to penalise road users who breach car park age limit rules at supermarkets across the UK. Motorists have demanded tough new parking measures at stores such as Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda.
Hundreds of road users back strict new penalties for motorists breaking car park age limit rules at stores across the country. A survey of 1,000 UK motorists conducted by experts at Tiger.co.uk found that 51% support car park operators issuing penalties to drivers who wrongly use the designated parent/child bays. These bays are reserved specifically for parents and guardians accompanied by anyone aged 12 and under.
Survey Reveals Widespread Misuse
However, almost two-thirds (63%) of those surveyed reported spotting a driver parking in the bay when they did not qualify. There is currently no national law governing the use of parent and child spaces because the bays are usually located on private land. This means that policies and penalties for stopping in a parent/child bay can dramatically vary from store to store.
Call for Tougher Penalties
According to experts, road users now want to see stores taking a tougher stance with penalties such as a £100 fine for breaking the rule. Ian Wilson, car insurance expert and Managing Director at Tiger.co.uk, said: “Parent and child parking spaces exist to help families get young children in and out of vehicles safely, giving them extra room to lift out bulky pushchairs or car seats. They are also typically located close to the store entrance, meaning parents don't have to walk their kids through a busy car park.”
Some Tesco stores have already started fining drivers for misusing the parking bays at certain locations. A sign at one store read: “Misuse of these bays may result in a parking charge. This space is reserved for customers taking little shoppers into the store.”
Ian added: “When other drivers misuse these spaces, it not only inconveniences parents who genuinely need them by forcing them into narrower bays, it can also lead to unintentional and unnecessary damage to vehicles. Parents could damage their own vehicles trying to remove a car seat, or accidentally scratch or dent a neighbouring car, leading to costly repairs.”
