Campaigners have won a victory for disabled people in Rayleigh - after councillors listened to their protests.

Orange badge holders will still be able to park in the High Street for up to three hours and will be allowed to use two parking bays in a designated "lagoon" outside Boots in the town centre.

Proposals before councillors at a full meeting of Rochford Council last night, if accepted, would have resulted in the lagoon being solely used by taxi drivers, and disabled people only being able to park in the town centre for one hour.

But around a dozen placard-waving disabled campaigners descended on council chambers in Hockley Road before the meeting.

Local campaigners were joined by members of Direct Action Network, a national disabled rights action group, to protest for an hour about the proposed changes.

In front of a noisy public gallery, which included the disabled protesters, the councillors voted overwhelmingly against amending the district's regulations on disabled parking.

They also agreed the situation be reviewed after a year.

Councillor Elizabeth Hart, Conservative member for Hockley West, said: "I am totally opposed to the removal of disabled parking bays. This is one thing we should keep in the High Street.

"The Boots lagoon should be sacred to the disabled and should not be taken out."

Councillor Graham Fox, Labour member for Great Wakering West, agreed with this, saying: "It is an issue of rights. It is the ability to be able to do what we do as able-bodied persons.

"If we remove the parking bays then the disabled will have less time to shop in the town than we do, which is a removal of rights."

However, councillor Vic Leach, chairman of the council's transportation and environmental services committee which first considered changing parking regulations, said: "This is a highly emotive issue.

"We are seeking to achieve the best possible use of the High Street for those disabled who drive and for those disabled who do not, for which this council encourages the use of disabled-friendly taxis."

But councillors rejected his pleas.

Picture, top: Victory - for the disabled campaigners who turned up to protest at Rochford Council last night

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.