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The parent and child parking spaces are a hugely helpful feature of car parks but can also be a cause of frustration.
The extra space is useful when getting out a pram or safely opening the door for a small child to climb out, while the typical positioning close to the store saves having to cross areas where cars are moving. But the sight of someone using the spaces without a child can cause a lot anger to parents and carers struggling to find a safe space.
Almost one in two parents struggle to get their kid out of the car because they don’t have enough room for pushchairs etc. But according to Confused.com, almost one in 10 people have parked in a parent and child space when they haven’t got a child with them.
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It is also the subject of a classic Peter Kay routing who joked how he liked to go shopping with his mum because he can park in the parent and child space. “There’s no age limit on it,” he said, “you can park right at the front of the shop, it’s banging!”
Signs have appeared with age limits near the parking spaces in some car parks but the rules are decided and managed differently in various locations. KentLive asked various supermarket chains for the exact rules in their car parks – here’s what they said.
Who can use a parent and child parking space?
The rules vary between stores but the general rule is you can park in a parent and child bay if you’re visiting the store with a child under 12 or in a car seat unless there is signage saying otherwise. But Confused.com said one in three drivers ignored the signage and incorrectly parked in a parent and child bay – with the problem most likely to happen at Asda.
It should be noted that there is no official law or rule that says you cannot park in the space. This means it is not illegal to park in a parent and child space without a child.
Confused.com said: “there are no official government or council-level rules on parent and child parking in the same way you’d get for disabled parking spaces. Parking in a supermarket car park is managed and enforced by the supermarket itself, or by a private parking management company.
“That means it’s not illegal to park in a parent and child space without a child. But you could get a Parking Charge Notice (PCN), the same as you would if you overstayed in a car park.”
Parking rules according to each supermarket
The rules for parent and child spaces for each supermarket are as follows, according to Carsupermarket.com:
Sainsbury’s parent and child parking rules
The particular store enforces parking rules and handles any misuse. The car park operators would issue any fines to those found breaking the rules.
Asda parent and child parking rules
An external agency monitors Asda’s car parks. They carry out regular checks to enforce their parking regulations. If someone has parked incorrectly they could get a parking charge.
Morrisons parent and child parking rules
If someone parks their car incorrectly they’re politely asked to move, or a sign is placed on their windscreen.
Tesco parent and child parking rules
An external agency might issue a parking charge notice (PCN) to anyone wrongly parked.
Aldi parent and child parking rules
If a customer has noticed someone misusing a parent and child bay they’re encouraged to report it to the store manager. However, they’re unable to enforce this as there are limited staff in store.
Lidl parent and child parking rules
Lidl monitor the use of parent and child parking bays. They say that they strongly rely on the honesty of customers to park correctly.
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