EVESHAM parking chiefs have urged disabled drivers parking on double yellow lines to show consideration to other road users.

Drivers issued with a valid disabled sticker can legally park on double yellow lines for up to three hours. But Wychavon District Council, responsible for issuing parking tickets and fines since October, believes disabled people still have a duty to park with consideration.

Kelly Thompson, Wychavon's head of parking services, said: "Disabled drivers have a responsibility to park in a considerate way so that they do not cause an obstruction. If a car is badly parked and obstructing other traffic we will contact the police and get it moved. We have had to do this once since we took over responsibility for parking."

Wychavon wardens monitor all parked vehicles in the town, including those of disabled motorists. Ms Thompson said considerable numbers of disabled people parked on double yellow lines near the health centres at Merstow Green.

Steve Arnold, of Evesham-based charity Disability Awareness in Society, said: "Increasing the number of disabled parking bays would remove the problem of parking on double yellow lines. In incidences where the person is only going to be a couple of minutes, it would be nice if others were more lenient."

Richard Allen, practice manager at Abbey Medical Centre, hopes the problem will be eased to some extent when the new health centre is built. Plans for the development include extra disabled bays and a patient drop-off point.

He added: "We would hope the plans will improve the situation beyond what it is now. But we do have problems with people parking on the section of Abbey Lane with no double yellow lines - this is not restricted to people with disabled badges."