Disabled shoppers can visit Surrey Quays Shopping Centre without having to walk long distances after developer British Land reinstated their disabled bays.
Last month, the News reported that elderly people with painful conditions were being forced to lug heavy bags across the parking lot because their disabled bays had been scrubbed away.
While approximatley nine bays remained, over half had been removed. British Land apologised for the “oversight” and has since repainted at least nine new bays next to the shopping centre entrance.
Esther Matthews, 70, whose arthritis confines her to an electric scooter, had been “flabbergasted” when she first found the bays had been scratched away.
Maureen and Roger Chandler, a Lewisham couple in their 70s, also said they’d struggled to do their shopping since losing the disabled spaces.
Esther Matthews contacted this paper after arriving to find the bays had returned. She said: “I’m very happy and I’ve been twice now and have been able to find a space both times. I am very pleased they’ve taken notice. But I won’t be surprised if come Christmas there might be more problems when more shoppers start coming.”
As well as offering more room for wheelchair users, disabled bays are placed conveniently close to amenities.
Explaining its mistake, British Land, which owns the shopping centre, said it had reduced the overall area of the car park which had reduced the number of disabled spaces.
A spokesperson for the developer said: “Due to sequencing of the shopping centre car park works that are currently underway, including TfL’s delivery of a new, step-free entrance hall to Surrey Quays Station (which begins construction next year) and the delivery of works to the north of the Shopping Centre, we have reduced the overall area of the shopping centre car park, meaning there have been a significantly reduced number of disabled spaces. This was an oversight for which we apologise.”