PARKING spaces for the disabled in a York village have come under fire from a nearby resident.

Julie Arthur, of Langwith Home Farm, says user information for a number of disabled spaces in Heslington Main Street is not clear.

Mrs Arthur, who has lived near the village for 12 years, said many regular users of the shops in the busy street are unsure of whether they can use the specially-marked spaces.

She said: "People ought to know whether they can park here or not.

"It is not fair that I can't park outside my own post office for five minutes when there is nobody else there."

Another village resident, who asked not to be named, said: "It is a big problem because it simply is not clear whether you can or can't park there.

"Usually, a wheelchair painted on the road would mean a disabled restriction, but then you find out it's only an advisory, so it's meant to be a courtesy thing.

"But I know a lot of people have complained about the confusion, and people have been told off for parking there without a disabled badge."

A spokesman for City of York Council said the bay was an advisory restriction parking space, meaning that it was expected that motorists without disabilities would not park in it.

He said: "Clearly there is a reliance on people's goodwill here and we hope most would agree that the space is a good thing.

"In order for the bay to operate with anything but an advisory status, it would need the yellow information on the highway and 'disabled only' signs on posts, with information relating to any penalty for illegal parking.

"At the moment it is white-lined and therefore not enforceable."

Updated: 08:23 Tuesday, October 01, 2002