THE top ten streets where drivers have been fined for parking illegally in disabled car parking spaces in the Bradford district can be revealed today by the Telegraph & Argus.

A total of 16,211 tickets were issued by Bradford Council between April 2012 and July 2016.

From this figure, 9,277 of the tickets were issued in the district’s top ten hotspots.

The most offences were recorded in Kirkgate, in Bradford city centre, with 3,535 tickets issued to drivers parked illegally over the last four years.

Piccadilly follows with 2,872; Aldermanbury has 1,906; West Street, Bradford, has 1,509; Bank Street, Bradford, 600. These are followed by 475 tickets issued in Godwin Street; 468 in Morley Street; 339 in Main Street, Bingley; 293 in Norfolk Gardens and 270 at Keighley Leisure Centre, Hardings Road, Keighley. These are according to figures obtained using the Freedom of Information Act.

The statistics show that Bradford Council has collected a total of £423,498 in fines between April 2012 and July 2016. This is made up of £386,208 in on-street fines and £37,290 in off-street fines. Of the total number of offences, 13,050 tickets have been issued in Bradford city centre; 482 in Bradford West; 311 in Bradford East; 232 in Bradford South; 853 in Shipley and 1,283 in Keighley.

Ian Day, the Council’s assistant director, neighbourhood and customer services, said: “We work hard to ensure that all residents and visitors can access the city and district. Disabled parking bays are close to facilities and shops to support people with mobility problems and the vast majority of people are respectful of the need to reserve these spaces for disabled people.

“Enforcement is key in encouraging people to change their behaviour and we hope that anyone who has abused the disabled parking provision and is fined does not do it again ensuring that there is appropriate access for everyone.”

Emmerson Walgrove, chairman of Bradford & District Disabled People’s Forum, said: “I’m surprised but not shocked as we know it happens on a regular basis. It is unfair and inappropriate. The forum condemn them for parking in such spaces.

“People who are disabled and use wheelchairs have the right to be able to park in these spaces without finding somebody who is able bodied is parked there.”