Asda's Standard Reply and Default Statement

 

Asda seems to send everyone who complains this standard reply.  I thought that I would try and find out some information about each item they mention and also a statement from the people who use them or just a comment from myself.

Thank you for taking the time to contact us, I was sorry to learn of the problems you had when using our disabled parking bays. We are very concerned about this problem My comment - If they concerned they would have working policies in place already and we would not disabled parking space abuse at all would we? and try hard to make sure that only disabled customers use these spaces. My comment - already discrimination.  We display notices in the car parks and our trolley porters and greeters monitor the bays and approach customers who may be misusing the areas. A recent policy sent to all trolley porters (2007) by Jane Christie of Asda (seen in Weymouth) gives them permission to give non blue badge holders permission to use those spaces.  This even overrides any tickets given by the TCP attendant!  In many stores we put leaflets on windscreens or tannoy the registration numbers of cars that seem to be incorrectly parked. However, despite all these precautions we are still reliant on customers who are not entitled to use the bays showing consideration for others.  My comment - Once the signs go up you should abide by them or you leave yourself open to more criticism as you may end up discriminating between who gets a fine and who doesn't as well.

One difficulty is that sometimes customers who are bringing elderly or infirm relatives to the store use the spaces. Even though they may not formally qualify for a blue badge these passengers can often have quite severe mobility problems. It is genuinely extremely difficult for us to differentiate between genuine cases and those abusing the system. My Comment - Other wide access spaces should be used for this purpose to keep the designated spaces for Disabled badge holders use.  Obviously we do not want to offend any of our customers and penalising those who are temporarily infirm would cause upset and inconvenience.  The Disability Discrimination Act states that service providers must provide 'reasonable access' to their facilities and services. This not only means providing a sufficient number of designated parking bays, but also that those bays must be 'monitored' to ensure that access to a disabled parking bay is unhindered by able-bodied drivers. 

For these reasons we have decided that clamping would not be an effective or customer friendly way of controlling the problem. However to reduce misuse of disabled parking spaces we have carried out the following trials:
 
The Spacehog trial was introduced in 1996. The trial began in twelve stores and involved fitting all disabled parking spaces with a detector which senses the arrival of a car into the space. This triggers a nearby talking sign which plays the ASDA jingle and reminds the customer that that the space is reserved for disabled customers asking them to park elsewhere. This trial has been so successful we have rolled it out to a further 150 stores.

My Comment - The Spacehog system shown here in the Weymouth store was installed set to work and then left for dead.  The batteries have never been changed and so the system is now just a bunch of signs, some bent and damaged as you can see.  What a waste of money.  People just ignore them now.

Service Icon Spacehog
Spacehog is a high-tech traffic warden, which speaks out whenever a vehicle pulls into one of the spaces designated for disabled customers, and asks people to only use the space if they need it. The purpose is to make people who park illicitly to think twice about it, and also to reassure disabled customers that we are making every effort to protect their spaces.

The abuse of disabled parking is the single biggest issue, which is raised via our Tuned In cards, and Spacehog certainly does work. We receive 50% fewer complaints about disabled parking abuse from those stores with Spacehog compared with those stores who do not. We are hoping to introduce Spacehog into all of our stores by the end of 2001.




Number plate recognition technology to control access to specially designated parking areas for our disabled customers has been implemented at Eastbourne, High Wycombe and Bridge Of Dee stores with further installations likely in the near future. With the Automated Number Plate Recognition system customers must first register their number plate details at the Customer Service Desk. In order to qualify customers must be a disabled permit (blue badge) holder. Customer details are input into a special PC which is connected to the barrier/camera system. When a registered customer drives up to the barrier the camera reads and recognises their number plate and then raises the barrier to allow entry to the area. Alongside this scheme we always provide additional disabled bays outside of the Automated Number Plate Recognition zone to allow for one-off shoppers who may not be registered. 

ASDA USE CITYSYNC ANPR TO RAISE THE BARRIER FOR DISABLED DRIVERS
The misuse of disabled parking spaces could soon be a thing of the past for disabled customers at ASDA, thanks to a revolutionary new parking system being piloted by the retailer.
From mid May (no year stated), a number of disabled parking bays at stores in Eastbourne and High Wycombe will only be accessible to disabled customers who have signed-up and registered their number plate details in store. Entry to the specialist-spaces will be through a barrier controlled by a CitySync ANPR system, which will automatically rise when a registered vehicle approaches.
Disabled customers visiting the store for the first time or a one-off shop will still be able to use regular disabled parking spaces outside the zone.
Ed Passant, Chief Executive of the Disabled Drivers Motor Club, said: “The abuse of disabled parking spaces remains a major problem and we commend ASDA for its innovative approach and continued commitment to championing the rights of disabled customers.”
Earlier this year Baywatch reported a rise in the number of people misusing disabled parking spaces to one in five - and it remains customers’ number one bugbear.
Douglas Campbell, Executive Director of the Disabled Drivers Association, said: “This is a welcome move to improve the availability of parking spaces for disabled customers. We congratulate ASDA on investing in such an exciting new venture.”
John Irwin, Director of Customer Service at ASDA, said: “Preventing the abuse of disabled parking spaces is a constant battle and one we are committed to win.“
We’re delighted with the response that the scheme is getting and hope it will go some way to stamping-out the misuse of disabled parking spaces for good.”
All ASDA colleagues are currently undergoing additional training to help them understand the Disability Discrimination Act (the final stages of which come into force this October) and how to help customers with disabilities.
The scheme is now being rolled out across the country to bring the benefits to all of ASDA's customers.  My comment - Its a shame is hasn't been rolled out across the stores as said here direct from the makers site

We are unique amongst retailers in using these methods to prevent abuse of disabled parking and feedback to date has been extremely positive. We are planning to introduce these measures at all of our stores as part of our effort to provide successful solutions to enhance parking provisions for those customers with a disability. In addition we have been undertaking a programme of works across all stores to ensure that we have a sufficient number of disabled spaces and that they are clearly marked with signage and surface markings, this is in compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act.

I am very sorry that your visits to our store have been spoilt in this way and hope that as parking difficulties reduce we can look forward to your continued custom.

Thank you again for taking the time to write to us and I trust that you are reassured about our commitment to providing our customers with above average standards and facilities.

Yours Sincerely,

Pete Smith

Email Blog  TCP T&C's  Baywatch  Layout  Default Reply  DDA Pt III 1995  Letters  E-Petition  Home Page  Other Asda Stores


If you have a story about Asda and it's Disabled Peoples  Parking  Policy and would like it added to my site, please email me at the address below, I'll publish it and if you will allow me, I'll pass it on to them as well.  Weymouth can not be the only store with TCP and this issue, so come on let me know.
Please note that I shop here.  I have nothing against the shop, its brand or any other issue than Disabled Parking Space abuse by non badge holders and Asda's policy to allow it to happen.  Some item on this website are copyright of the respective owners and I respect that.  If you feel that you would like your item to be removed or a link added, then please let me know.  You can contact me at

Thank you.