My autistic son could be trapped in the house if we lose our disabled parking bay

An autistic teenager could lose his independence if his family's on-street parking bay is taken away, his mother fears.

Claire Gray, a full-time carer for her 16-year-old son Jack, said the bay - which is different to a blue badge space - has changed his life.

Jack is prone to running away and has damaged neighbours' cars in the past, meaning the family fear for his safety without it.

The dedicated disabled parking bay, directly outside the family's home and only to be used by them, was given as part of a Pembrokeshire council pilot scheme in 2022. The council says the future of the scheme will be decided in due course.

Claire says she previously would not leave the house with Jack because of the danger she felt when walking him to and from their car.

"He's low verbal, severely autistic, he's got lots of different medical issues," she said.

"Everything is a challenge."

With no driveway and limited parking spaces, Claire says she would often have to park streets away from their home.

"We would drive up and down, his anxiety would grow and he would get really agitated," she said.

"Unfortunately, Jack has hit a neighbour's car and damaged a car when dysregulated."

There are 16 dedicated on-street disabled parking bays within Pembrokeshire. Only the permit holder is allowed to park there - as opposed to a standard blue badge space which any eligible driver or carer could.

Claire said: "Having the space has literally opened the world to him. He's not going to school, coming home and we can't go out because we can't park and then worried about the behaviour after.

"We can come home and say 'right we're going to go to youth club or go and see nanny and grampie'.

"It makes my life so much easier to care for Jack and I feel that I can give him the life that he should have, that he can go out and enjoy life, otherwise I feel like I'm trapping him in the house and that's hard."

In November 2025, Pembrokeshire's scrutiny committee reviewed the pilot scheme and officers raised concerns that by law, parking restrictions must apply to groups of users rather than individual people.

The committee agreed to instead provide bays that any eligible Blue Badge holder can use.

By having to share the bay with other eligible Blue Badge holders, Claire and Jack will not be guaranteed a space outside their home.

"We're going to be stuck in the house again, we're going to be prisoners in the house," said Claire.

The change to a blue badge bay could also mean having to move the car every three hours between 9am and 5pm - an added complication when life is already difficult, Claire said.

"I've got cameras watching him because he'll eat plastic or glass, like he'll eat anything, and then I'm worried about moving a car," she said.

"It's just going to add stress to an already stressful situation."

Disability Wales says a lack of parking close to home can be problematic.

"If you can only move a small amount to get to your car, to then be able get to appointments, for example, that's really important," said Leandra Craine from the association.

"There can be an overwhelming anxiety of 'am I going to be able to get home and actually get to my front door?' That can prevent people from even wanting to leave the house and being independent if they can't actually get to their home."

The charity said it was disappointed an equality impact assessment was not carried out by Pembrokeshire council before the pilot scheme was reviewed at the scrutiny meeting in November 2025.

The council said: "Equality impacts will be assessed and considered by cabinet alongside all other relevant information when determining the future of the scheme."

Two other counties in Wales - Rhondda Cynon Taf and Neath Port Talbot - offer dedicated on-street disabled parking bays to eligible residents. Other similar schemes run in England as well.

Pembrokeshire council said a final decision has not been made and the current arrangements for individuals remain in place.

Claire said: "Please, please just think about the individuals. These people have the bays because they need them.

"Most people would say it's just a parking space but to him [Jack], it's his key to the community."