Police blasted for parking in disabled bay and refusing to move

The police car in a disabled parking bay in Cromer. Pictures: supplied by Steve Watkins (Image: Archant)

Steve Watkins, 62, and his wife were in Cromer when he spotted a police car parked in a bay in High Street.

He spoke to the officer to ask him to move the car but claims the policeman ignored him.

A Norfolk police spokesman said that officers were responding to an emergency call and were only parked on the bay for 17 minutes.

Mr Watkins, a retired businessman who lives in Emneth in west Norfolk, said: "The area where this disabled bay is located is very busy and disabled bays are very limited.

Police car in disabled parking bay in Cromer. Pictures: supplied by Steve Watkins (Image: Archant)

"A request was made to one of the officers to move their police car from the disabled bay as it was needed for a genuine disabled person but the request was just ignored.

"Around that same area there are multiple places for the police car to have parked and there is totally no reason for this officer to have parked his police car on a clearly marked disabled bay."

Mr Watkins, who has severe osteo-arthritis in his knees and uses a walking stick, added: "I don't want an apology just to raise awareness and for police officers to be more considerate when parking. I know that under the Highway Code they can probably park anywhere, but I'm just asking for them to be a bit more discreet.

"And to send out a signal to other police officers that they need to park in more suitable places and not in disabled bays."

A Norfolk police spokesman said: "Officers were responding to an emergency call in Cromer High Street concerning a man being aggressive towards members of the public. The suspect, a man in his 50s, was arrested and later charged with being drunk and disorderly. The police car was parked in the bay for 17 minutes while officers dealt with the incident."

It happened in the late afternoon on August 17.