A TAVISTOCK man is calling on Devon County Council to correctly mark the parking space outside his home as disabled following an arduous two year battle to prevent other road users from using his assigned space.

Michael Whitmarsh, who is 80 years old, registered disabled and in possession of a blue parking badge, has lived at his home on Old Exeter Road since 2021 and has since been embroiled in a battle with the county council to correctly mark and assign his space.

As a result of regularly being unable to park his car outside his home due to others’ using the space, Michael has no option but to park further up or down the road and walk some distance to his home, sometimes with heavy shopping, which is not easy due to his restricted mobility.

Michael said: ‘The road I inhabit is narrow and easily congested and whilst my application for blue badge parking two years ago was approved, sufficient markings have still not been put in place. Other drivers are continuing to park under the disabled sign, knowing it has no force in law. I checked and there is no legal basis for this.

‘Officers at Devon County Council have repeatedly told me for the last two years that they will ‘look into it’ or are ‘looking into it’ but I believe it’s just a waiting game they’re playing — they’re waiting for me to die.

‘There was a disabled bay slightly up the road when I first moved in for another gentlemen who then moved out, I suggested taking this space but was informed the space had to be within a certain proximity to my home.’

In October of last year, a new sign was erected by the county council (pictured right), however, Michael is arguing that this is insufficient to correctly distinguish this space as for use by disabled badge holders only, as the road has not also been marked as such, which has resulted in non-badge holders continuing to use the space without facing any penalty.

Michael added: ‘The council have said this delay is the result of difficulties with the contractors they employ on their behalf. They have told me there are two separate companies concerned here, one to erect signs and another to paint lines on the road. The only white lines here are old ones from before I moved in to indicate residents’ parking.

‘I have three daughters and they’ve all tried to help me speak with the council but still no progress has been made.

‘It’s just astounding, the sheer time it’s taking. Just standard sized signage and marking is all I’d like to indicate the space as disabled and for a single car, as you can see on Brook Street outside the Co-op and Parkwood Road which are standard.’

A DCC spokesperson said: ‘We are sorry for the delay and that this has taken longer than we would have wished. We have received a high number of requests and we are working through them as quickly as we are able.

‘We want to assure the gentleman that he hasn’t been forgotten and a works order is with the contractor. They will complete work as soon as they can, within the next couple of months.’