A disabled woman is reportedly facing fines of more than £1,000 for using a disabled-driver car parking space outside her flat.
Cerys Gemma, who lives in Cardiff, told reporters the space allocated to her flat is inaccessible as it has a pillar on one side and another car parking space close on the other.
The 34-year-old, who has been using a wheelchair since sustaining serious spinal injuries after a car accident when she was 17, has been using one of the parking spaces reserved for visitors with disabilities as an alternative.
Gemma has now been ordered to pay the fines by the county court, the BBC reported.
New Generation Parking Management, which manages the bays at Prospect Place in Cardiff Bay, said the spaces have to be kept free for disabled visitors, not residents.
Gemma told the BBC she had been in contact with the property management and parking companies, trying to explain why she needed to use a wheelchair-accessible space.
New Generation, which is contracted by the property management firm Ringley Group, told the BBC: “We want to make clear, if we allow one resident to utilise a disabled visitor space as their own, we would need to allow all requests from residents which we have received over the years.
“This would no doubt reduce the availability of disabled spaces for disabled visitors.”
New Generation said it was simply enforcing the rules to which Prospect Place agreed when it was instructed to manage the site.
It said: “We cannot make changes to these rules unless agreed by the board of directors; therefore in light of the continued distress that this is causing Ms Gemma we will take steps to ensure this is discussed at the next board meeting.”
Ringley Group were approached for comment.