I THOROUGHLY agree with comments made by John Manley on the new disabled parking rules in Skipton – Disabled parking rule-change row (Craven Herald, December 10).
Sadly, I have recently joined the ranks of the disabled passengers and was very grateful to receive a blue badge enabling us to park closer to entrances and shops etc.
Many badge holders need wider parking spaces to allow them to actually get in and out of their vehicles. I am only the passenger, but how on earth would a driver on his own with no help and also suffering pain get to a ticket machine and back, and then walk to the main street in Skipton?
If you must, why not cut down the free parking to two hours instead of three and create a few more disabled parking bays?
Since receiving the badge, we have only been to Skipton High Street once – what a nice change to be able to get from the car park on the crutches and sit outside the town hall in the sun for a while, then tackle a few yards down to the ladies’ stalls and back for another sit and a coffee before getting back to the car park!
Sorry Skipton, we will be sticking to Colne, our usual shopping venue, which also has a nice area to rest and watch the world go by outside the library, and there’s everything we require in a small area – and plenty of free parking – whether disabled or not.
JOAN TINDALE,
Cowling.

ONCE again our council are intent on attacking us disabled drivers by their greed in charging for the car parks – Disabled parking rule change row (Craven Herald, December 10).
This is the final straw. I can park in Ilkley, Harrogate and even York, which is the most visited place in Yorkshire, and all free. We are welcomed by these places, not driven away as undesirables, like Craven.
Incidentally, I do not know of any other council in our area that has farmed out the car parking to another council. This has to be more expensive to us ratepayers, but that does not matter to them.
My solution is to either park in town on the double yellows if I have to, which I dislike doing as it creates problems for other town centre users.
or, simply go to other places that welcome us, and I encourage other disabled drivers to do the same.
DONALD SMITH,
Belmont Wharf, Skipton.

WHAT will Paul Ellis and Co think of next to make Skipton more disability unfriendly? – Disabled parking rule-change row (Craven Herald, December 10).
Disabled blue badge holders used to be able to park anywhere in Skipton car parks free of charge, then they altered it so the disabled had to park in marked bays to get free parking up to three hours. Now they aim to make disabled pay in marked bays also.
If Mr Ellis spells his name backwards it will read ‘sille’ and that’s what this new proposed rule is, ‘sille’, and very unfriendly to the disabled.
If in January, this new unfriendly charge to the disabled starts, perhaps they should employ a collector to collect the fee from the disabled when they arrive in wheelchairs and with walking aids etc who have great difficulty in going to the pay machine.
I would also like to add that people are likely to do their shopping out of Skipton in places like Barnoldswick, which is more disability friendly and has free parking. Perhaps we should take a leaf out of Morecambe’s book where the disabled can park in their car parks in any bay free of charge and for an unlimited time.
DAVID ELLIS,
Overdale Park, Skipton.

REGARDING the payments for paying for disabled bays – Disabled parking rule-change row (Craven Herald, December 10) – the reason the majority of people with blue badges park in designated spaces is the fact the bays have enough room to open car doors.
I can’t park in an ordinary bay because there isn’t room when you get selfish people blocking you in.
The question about paying is not an issue for me except for the fact there aren’t enough machines and, by the time I’ve got a ticket, I’m too worn out to go shopping.
With extra income, you will have to widen the bays.
MRS N PAWSON,
Roughaw Road, Skipton.

YOUR front page headline – Disabled parking rule-change row (Craven Herald, December 10) – regarding new charges for ‘blue badge’ holders led me to wonder where the common sense has gone amongst those who dream up these new regulations.
We are told the reason for this new imposition on the disabled is to eliminate unfairness where badge holders parking in a standard bay pay full charges. Would not the obvious, simple and most appropriate solution be to allow those very people to park free in standard bays provided the required badges are displayed?
ROBERT HALL,
Thornton-in-Craven.