A day centre which cares for adults with physical and learning disabilities is ­calling for bigger spaces in car parks across Swale after its minibus was slapped with a parking ticket at a leisure centre.

Senior day centre officer Mike Playle lodged an appeal against the fine with Swale council the following day, but the challenge was rejected.

Mr Playle strongly criticised the ­council’s attitude, saying: “If the council wants people to access local facilities and not discriminate against those with a disability, the right provisions need to be in place.

“There are no facilities to park a minibus in Sittingbourne car parks.”

The 16-seater Iveco was in the Swallows car park for three hours while five helpers from the Crawford Centre, Edenbridge Drive, Sheerness, supervised eight people taking part in activities.

Due to the length of the ­vehicle, which has a tail lift at the rear for wheelchair users, it was parked across two spaces but its blue disabled parking badge was displayed in the front windscreen.

The penalty notice was discovered when the group returned to the vehicle.

The centre paid the discounted rate of £25 instead of the full fee of £50 by settling the bill within 14 days of receiving the outcome of the appeal. But Mr Playle said: “It’s not about the money, it’s about the principle of the thing and how it affects not just this establishment but also, say, a minibus filled with schoolchildren or the elderly on a day out.

“The technical services department advised us to either drop people off and park in St Michael’s Road or park in St Michael’s and walk to the centre but that’s going to create a health and safety issue because then there will be a staff shortage.

“Some of these people can’t be left without supervision as they have got mobility problems, need support, or are in wheelchairs. We’d really like to see Swale council put in special bays for minibuses to park in.”

Swale council’s cabinet member for regeneration and the economy, Cllr John Wright, said: “A disabled parking badge would enable the vehicle to be parked on any area of single or double yellow lines for up to three hours providing an obstruction is not being caused.

“In the case of the Swallows there is an area outside the front of the Central Avenue entrance that could be used in that way.

“There are practical difficulties with large vehicles such as the 16-seat minibuses parking in car parks as they can cause issues to other car park users and most vehicles such as this park in the manner set out above.

“We take the government white paper regarding access and discrimination for vulnerable groups very seriously. We will continue to work with all groups to improve access where possible. No other groups have raised this as a problem.”