TOWN officials will wait at least two months before ruling on disabled parking at the taxi rank outside Swanage’s health centre.

The Rev Edward Pratt started a petition last year after he took his disabled wife to the centre but found all three disabled spots taken.

His petition, backed by more than 1,000 people, was handed into Swanage mayor Cllr Bill Trite ahead of a town council meeting on Monday.

The retired clergyman wants two extra spaces to run alongside the three existing disabled spots at the town’s main taxi rank.

If approved, this will reduce the taxi rank spaces from 11 to eight.

However, a month ago Swanage Town Council put up new signs limiting disabled parking to one hour for health centre use.

So officials have decided to monitor progress for at least two more months before ruling further. Rev Pratt said: “The council said they want to observe the situation following the installation of these new signs.

“I’m happy with that and if it solves the problem it would be great. But I am not sure it will.”

Cllr Trite said he understood the importance of disabled spaces.

However, he added: “We have more taxis than spaces available and they pay the town council for these spaces.

“The taxis are an important component to be considered as many people in the town, especially elderly residents, depend on them.

“We will consider it very carefully and come to the fairest solution.”

Cllr Trite says the town council will also work with health centre staff to ensure genuine disabled users do not have to anxiously look at their watches if their hour is running out.

“But we cannot make an arrangement that will be open to abuse,” he said.