A WHEELCHAIR user from Corbridge is preparing to meet council officials to discuss improving access to the village for people with disabilities.

It comes after David Burdus, who was issued with a £50 parking ticket after he was forced to squeeze his specially adapted van into a narrow parking space on the village’s Hill Street, appealed against the fine and offered to work with Northumberland County Council on suggesting improvements for the future.

Mr Burdus, who was left paralysed from the waist down more than 30 years ago following a motor bike crash when he was just 21, runs a company advising organisations on issues affecting the disabled.

And he was issued with a ticket for not parking “wholly within a bay” on Saturday, September 19, after he went into the village to pick up a prescription and found neither of the two disabled bays in the Market Place was available.

“From my perspective as a disabled person I believe that the system in Corbridge discriminates against me,” Mr Burdus told the Courant last week.

“The planners have failed to make adequate provision for blue badge holders, putting us at a disadvantage.”

But while appealing his ticket, he offered his services to the county council, and earlier this week accepted an invitation to meet head of technical services, David Laux, on the issue.

“The meeting will be in around a fortnight’s time and the response from the council so far has been very positive,” Mr Burdus added.

“All credit to them.”

With regards to the fine, he has received a standard response to his appeal letter, and is still awaiting the outcome.