Traffic wardens are set to target drivers who flout rules and park in disabled spaces in Willenhall.

The increasing number of violations has led to Councillor Ian Shires calling on Walsall Council to instruct traffic wardens to focus their efforts.

He said he got complaints from constituents about the abuse of disabled spaces in the run-up to Christmas, including a heart-felt plea from a disabled driver, and has pledged to push for something to be done to combat the issue – making his intentions known in an on-line blog.

He said: “I have had a number of people talking to me over the Christmas period about this.

“The parking situation gets worse as you build up to Christmas and people don’t think. They see a space and they get in it. It has culminated in a long letter from a constituent pouring their heart out.”

“As an able-bodied person, I am lucky. Things are bad enough if you are disabled, this just makes matters worse.”

Complaints have been arising over bays in New Invention Square and Wolverhampton Street.

Councillor Shires added: “What I would like to see is a bit more emphasis on disabled parking spaces.

“I do think it’s about giving a bit of leeway, but on disabled parking there should be no leeway. It’s a time for New Year’s resolutions, people should just stop and think.”

Councillor Shires said he felt so strongly about the issue that he posted his intentions to focus on it in the new year on his internet blog.

“I put it on the blog to warn people that I’m going to take this up and that they may get tickets if they park in disabled spaces,” he said.

A row erupted early last year over whether to swap disabled parking bays in Walsall town centre with a taxi rank.

The cab drivers won the battle over the controversial plans in November, as councillors approved the plan to move the bay from the left to the right side of Bridge Street, switching it with the taxi bays near Tesco.

The councillors overruled objections from disability groups, including Walsall Disability Forum and Access All Areas, which fought a campaign against the move.