SIR — I refer to the new proposals for parking in Watchet (Free Press June 17). Whilst I applaud the authority's suggestion to provide three parking spaces outside the post office, one of which would be for disabled drivers, it goes on to say all the bays would be restricted to a maximum 20 minute wait. OK, so how will they be policed? Will the disabled space outside the post office be any less abused than the bay outside the fish and chip shop in Market Street which is regularly occupied by vehicles not displaying a disabled parking permit? And why a 20 minute maximum wait? Does the authority have any idea at all of the difficulties that can be experienced by disabled drivers? Depending on the nature of someone's disability, in 20 minutes they might be able to visit the post office, the supermarket and the newsagents. However, mobility problems vary greatly. It can take something like 20 minutes for somebody to get out of their car and get back in again! Have they thought about the fact that able-bodied drivers can achieve a good deal more in that time than perhaps the less able bodied? Would this be discriminatory? A system that appears to work quite well here is used at one of the entrances to the shopping precinct with disabled spaces nearby. The system works around the simple idea that the disabled bays are sacred, but only until about 6pm. They then become fair game. Surely able bodied people visiting the post office can park in Swain Street's car park and cross the road. After about six o'clock, disabled drivers take their chances, as indeed they do now. The authority needs to bear in mind that Watchet is home to disabled drivers, but disabled people also go on holiday and visit the town. I would therefore suggest that any bays outside Watchet's Post Office are for disabled use until six in the evening. C Penn, Paddock Road, Basingstoke.
