BY MARK McKELVEY

SDLP Cllr Seamus Shields has stated disabled motorists are being denied access to the parking facilities they are entitled to at the County Hall staff car park in Omagh.

Omagh district councillors have been calling for some time for the "many vacant spaces" at staff car park at the County Hall in Omagh for public use to help alleviate the parking difficulties experienced in the town.

Having written to the Divisional Planning Office based at the County Hall outlining this suggestion, they received a response stating, "The staff car park is usually fully occupied during business and therefore is not accessible to the general public".

The letter continued, "Unfortunately we do not have the resource to provide members of the public or councillors with car parking facilities. However, any individual with a disability can access the disabled car parking facilities by informing the security guard sited at the entrance to the staff car park."

Responding to this at the monthly council meeting last week, Cllr Shields, who is a blue badge holder himself, said he and other motorists with disabilities are unable to access these spaces which he described as "not acceptable".

He said, "For many years the man at the gate recognised me and just lifted the barrier. Recently a new employee at the entrance refused me admission. Following a lengthy discussion explaining to her I was both a councillor and blue badge holder the person eventually called to ask was I allowed to enter. Eventually I was but it was made clear to me that this was only a concession.

"This attitude towards those with disabilities is not acceptable. They need to know their policy."

"I feel we are entitled to a better response than this and I would propose we should ask for a meeting with senior officers involved to get a satisfactory solution to this problem."

'This attitude towards those with disabilities is not acceptable. They need to know their policy.'

– Shields