MORE disabled parking spaces are needed in Wroughton, not fewer, says a wheelchair-bound driver.

Bill Clark plans to take that message to Swindon Council after hearing it is considering removing the two spaces in the Ellendune car park outside the health centre.

"The council says they are not needed, but we need more disabled parking spaces, not less," said Mr Clark.

He explained that the spaces were regularly used by other motorists, partly because the markings had worn so much they were hardly visible.

"They need to be repainted so people don't abuse them," he said. And instead to taking them away they need to add an extra one.

"There are a lot of disabled people in Wroughton and the surrounding villages and these spaces are vital to us," explained Mr Clark, who has been in a wheelchair since 1994 after injuring his back at work.

He is unable to move a long way in his wheelchair because of problems with his hands.

He also finds it impossible to use ordinary parking bays because his door has to be opened wide to enable him to manoeuvre himself out of the car into his chair.

As well as more special bays, he also called for more frequent monitoring of them by parking wardens.

"I've had to turf people out of them only recently, but I can't get away very quickly if they turn nasty," he said.

Mr Clark, 61, of Swindon Road, has already asked the Co-op in the village to install some disabled spaces.

Last week, a spokesman for the store said they hoped to create some in the near future.

Wroughton Parish Council chairwoman Ann Richards was sympathetic to the disabled drivers' plight.

"Parking in Wroughton is generally very good, but I do feel there could be more spaces for disabled people.

"As far as I am aware there are currently only eight in the village at the moment and to lose a quarter of them would cause some inconvenience to disabled people."

But she added: "Of course there are two sides to the story.

"People do tend to get rather annoyed when they see a lot of unused disabled parking spaces with traffic wardens ready to slap them with a fine.

"Swindon Council needs to find an appropriate balance."

No one at Swindon Council was available for comment.

tclarke@newswilts.co.uk