A new study has revealed that Chelmsford is one of the the most accessible places for parking for blue badge holders, coming in 16th, one rank above Colchester.
The study by Nationwide Vehicle Contracts found that 83% of the city’s car parks offered accessible parking for the 1,428 resident Blue Badge holders registered in Chelmsford.
The study analysed Parkopedia data for 56 car parks across the UK to calculate the percentage of accessible car parks in each location.
Keith Hawes, Director at Nationwide Vehicle Contracts, said: “Cities need to make themselves more inclusive and accessible, particularly as the high street is struggling.
“We're also likely to see more Brits hiring cars and driving to their staycation destinations this summer, as travel abroad is still limited.
“Towns and cities, especially those known for being UK tourist traps, should take a look at their facilities to make sure they can provide inclusive parking for all.”
Worcester topped the list with a huge 96% of the city’s car parks offering accessible spaces for blue badge holders. Surrey town, Epsom, came in second (95%) and South London's Croydon came third (94%) with their car parks offering the most disabled spots.
Of the cities analysed, Derby topped the list for places failing to offer substantial parking options for disabled motorists. Only 42% (22) of the car parks in this area offered accessible spaces, with 58% offering none. This is despite there being 5,112 blue badge holders registered in the city.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here