We read with interest on the BBC web site that the council in Ascot have used wheelchairs to block able bodied spaces in the high street to highlight the abuse of parking without blue badges parking in disabled bays. The idea being that able bodies drives feel that same frustration as blue badge drivers do when they find a disabled parking space abused. Using wheelchairs to block the spaces was one of many ideas considered by Windsor and Maidenhead councils.

Its claimed that as many as 1 in 5 spaces intended for the disabled who are typically wheelchair users are being misused by those who are not entitled. It was quite impressive to see a long stretch of town center road dotted with wheelchairs every few meters. Motorists were clearly bemused by the demonstration as they drove down the high street past the local Tesco store.

See the video of parked wheelchairs here

Lets hope that they successfully raised awareness and that this deters folk from abusing the parking bays. The other aim of the campaign was to try to increase the number of parking spaces for the disabled in this particular area.

Space invaders themed signs on the back of the wheelchairs with a ‘which space are you invading’ slogan stated that ‘one in five Blue Badge spaces are abused’. It comes after a complaint by a local resident that lead to the spaces begin moved to more convenient locations in the town helping wheelchair users to get easier access to the shops.

Organised by the Ascot Neighbourhood Action Group (NAG) and the Royal Borough's Access Advisory Forum it seems to have been a success. There are 2.45 million blue badge holders in the country many of whom are wheelchair users or have very limited mobility.