A Banstead mum of two is campaigning to get mother and baby spaces introduced in Epsom after a near-miss with her daughter and a car parking into an adjacent space.

Kirsty Zambourides said she’s been struggling to get her children Violet, three, and George, three months, in and out of her car at The Ashley Centre for a long time, but when her daughter’s life was endangered she felt compelled to take action.

She said: “It was only when I experienced the near-accident that I decided to do this petition; my little girl nearly got run over when a man was not looking as he was parking into the neighbouring space.”

On the change.org petition she said: “There are plenty of disabled spaces - and rightly so - but what about us mums, with children struggling with pushchairs up and down the ramps fighting for the nearest space to the lifts?”

She added: “Nearly all the time the disabled bays are empty. It’s quite ironic, babies can’t walk and they are practically incapacitated the way a disabled person is. Most babies need a pushchair or even a pram.”

A council spokesman said: “The business vitality of Epsom is of high importance and we want to encourage shoppers into the town centre. Our car parks have a part to play in this and the Ashley Centre car park is often full at peak times.

“Parent and child bays are not a statutory requirement and their introduction, with wider bays, can reduce the amount of parking available for others.

“We do listen to residents and visitors and are constantly looking at how we can improve the car parking.

“As part of their refurbishment, in the past two years have introduced parent and child bays in Hook Road, Town Hall and Depot Road car parks. This was following feedback from members of the public.

“As part of a programme of proposed works next year, we are looking to make some improvements to the Ashley Centre car park.

“This will include some resurfacing and we will have the option at that time to introduce parent and child parking bays.

“These improvements are subject to the spending approvals when councillors debate the borough’s budget in the New Year.”

If you haven't already, you can sign the petition here.