Welcome move on parking pests

Sep 26 2007 Liverpool Daily Post

SELFISH and inconsiderate parking is, unfortunately, as common an occurrence as selfish and inconsiderate driving.

That is why supermarket giant Asda is to be congratulated for piloting a new scheme where shoppers who abuse priority parking spaces for young families and disabled people will be fined £60 at six of its Merseyside supermarkets.

Asda is thought to be the first UK business to impose the fine on people parking in a disabled bay without displaying a blue badge. The scheme will be rolled out across the rest of the country once its impact has been assessed.

The reason given by the supermarket chain for the fixed penalty notices is simple: they will act as a deterrent to motorists who regularly disregard and abuse the reserved spaces.

In this light, the scheme can be seen as a welcome addition to the campaign against anti-social behaviour. It is imp- ortant to point out that this is not a way of charging motorists by the back door for using supermarket car parks. Prom- inent signs will be displayed to warn shoppers about the parking rules.

Provided that this is so, and the fines are enforced fairly and with a clear explanation, it is hard to see why any reasonable person should object to this scheme. It is not designed to squeeze cash from the motorist, but to protect the needy and the vulnerable.

Mersey marvel

THE colourful religious celebration which took place on the River Mersey yesterday – in which Hindu followers threw replica cobras, flower garlands, pictures and coins into the water – shows that Liverpool is living up to its Capital of Culture boast that it is "the world in one city."

The River Mersey is worshipped by British Hindus as the River Ganges of the north of England, with the journey to Merseyside one of the highlights of their calendar. Let us hope even more follow- ers will be able to return to Liverpool during its Capital of Culture year, and make the Mersey pilgrimage one of the UK’s biggest ever gatherings of Hindus.