The short-term 20-minute parking bays at Gillingham railway station have been removed and replaced by a row of freshly-painted disabled drivers places.
The move happened so quickly that even some station staff were unaware that it had occurred.
There are now fears that once the schools return and the station returns to its regular, busy use there will be no places anywhere within the parking area for other motorists to wait to drop off or pick up passengers.
The rail company South Western Railway apologised for the lack of advanced warning but said the move was to comply with legislation and the terms of its franchise contract.
A spokesperson for South Western Railway said: ‘As part of our bid for the South Western franchise, we assured the Department for Transport that we would make disabled bays fit for purpose so they meet the Disability Act requirements. I’m sorry this wasn’t communicated with information posters at the station.’
2 Comments
I feel that this is unfair on people who are maybe stopping to get a ticket or assisting a relative to get on a train or getting off .but then it is money grabbing all over not thinking of the bigger picture
Faceless “jobsworths” yet again – who clearly do not use Gillingham station !!
They MUST reinstate the full number of 20-minute slots (6 or 8, I believe) – as they were just about adequate.