POLICE-only bays in a town's high street could be removed after complaints from disabled drivers.
The bays were painted outside the police station in Epping High Street after complaints from shoppers and traders that the police were regularly parking on double yellow lines, which they can legally do.
But blue badge holder Bill Taylor, 80, of The Orchards, Epping, said the yellow lines were invaluable to disabled drivers, who can also park on them, particularly on market days.
“The police are taking up an area that is very important for people who can’t walk far,” he added. “The police are supposed to be fit and able people.
“I’d like to see those bays scrapped because there are plenty of places around where they’re permitted to park.”
Mr Taylor suffers from emphysema, meaning he cannot walk far before becoming out of breath, and said new disabled bays recently added near Argos were not much use for people visiting Marks and Spencer and nearby shops.
“There are three spaces outside Marks and Spencer, which are totally useless when it’s market day because you can’t get to them,” he added.
Judy Drayton, 70, of Palmers Hill, Epping, who holds a blue badge as she cannot walk far without crutches, said: “It’s ridiculous, because the police can actually park anywhere they want.
“What must not happen is the shopping in Epping is killed and we all want to shop there, but they keep moving us on.”
Janet Padfield, 69, of Upland Road, Epping Upland, who drives her disabled husband to Epping regularly, said: “The police need to be able to park outside the police station in an emergency, but I think overall, there aren’t enough spaces.
“This is going to make it more difficult.”
An Epping Forest District Council spokeswoman said: “Since the bays have been installed, the council has received comments from residents and requests for them to be removed.
“This situation will be reviewed in consultation with the police authority and if the general consensus is that they are no longer required, then every effort will be made to remove them.”
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