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Congestion charge exemption for disabled..

9 replies

CreepyJess · 21/10/2005 15:36

We are going to St. Thomas's on Nov 10th for DS's MRI scan (new children's hospitcal called Evelina.. designed by children - sounds lovely.. but I digress..) and I have come online to apply to the expemption from the £8 congestion charge because we have a blue badge.. but sadly you have to pay a one-off £10 charge in order to do so.! We are only going once (I hope!) so obviously I won't bother.. it's cheaper to pay the £8!

I'm not meaning to sound tight.. but this doesn't seem all that fair. Having said that I expect there are those that say disabled people should not be exempt from the charge at all(following the disabled parking thread).. but for us it will hard enought to find the petrol money. We have decided agaist going by train.. we are (hopefully) coming back the same say and don't want to take DS on London public tranpsort system after a general anaesthetic.. not least because it is extremely wheelchair unfriendly.

Should have gone on the 12th Oct but DS had a cough. That was an over-nighter. I phoned and said he had a cough and they only wanted to me the bring him up just so they could say the same thing.. (he was wheezy and productive!).

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expatinscotland · 21/10/2005 15:43

That sounds like total bollocks to me. £8 is a lot of money to someone who may be living on benefits - and to get a doctor's appointment, no less! I'd write to your MP about that.

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coppertop · 21/10/2005 15:51

What a sh*tty system. Surely it should be completely free to all blue-badge holders??? CIt's not as though you generally have a choice about whether to use the car. Grrr!

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MorticiaMerlot · 21/10/2005 16:06

agree - what a crap system!

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Davros · 21/10/2005 19:16

I don't think St Thomas's is in the Congestion zone, could be wrong though. Maybe you need to drive through it? I agree its stupid. When the charge first came in there was a period when people with a disabled badge could apply for exemption free but you'd have to have known about it. The other alternative is to drive to the nearest area outside the zone which wouldn't be far although, as I say, I don't think St Thomas's is in the zone anyway.......

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spookyserenity · 21/10/2005 19:24

St Thomas' IS in the zone. I had DD there last year and it was very annoying having to mess about paying the charge when I had to go there for scans, blood tests etc It's not exactly the first thing on your mind in the middle of contractions either!

I don't think people using medical services should have to pay the charge full stop, and badge holders shouldn't have to pay to take up their exemptions!

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Blu · 21/10/2005 19:24

CreepyJess - the local NHS trust have a scheme where you can be exempted for the visit. Call the receptionist at the ward or clinic or ward DS will be attending and ask about the green form you have to fill in. I THINK you pay the charge and then get a reclaim. You get the form signed to say you would have significant difficulty on public transport.

I have been given these forms when I take DS to one of his clinics in the same NHS trust, but not sure of all the details as I have never actually used it. (can't quite feel that DS meets the criteria!).

TBH I think parking is going to be more of an issue than the CC! It costs £2.50 an hour at Kings - does St Thomas's have a car park?

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spookyserenity · 21/10/2005 19:27

St Thomas' has a car park, I think it costs about the same.

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Davros · 21/10/2005 19:28

Oooh, that's very interesting Blu, must pass that on to a few more people. You should be able to park in a disabled bay for no charge with your badge, but finding one...... You'd have to check the rules for that specific borough as they can be different. You may be able to park in residents' bays for an unlimited time and P&D/metres for 3 or 4 hours but DO check. Westminster is the worst inner London borough for disabled parking if you don't have a badge issued by Westminster but the others seem to be OK.

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CreepyJess · 21/10/2005 23:12

Thanks for the info Blu.. and Spooky .. and Davros. Apparently parking is plentiful at St. Thomas's (according to my sister who has visited someone there) but I think Disabled so pay even if disabled bays - if there is one available. We paid £10 for two hours in a disabled bay visiting at Kings.

Blu I will ring the ward and ask about this green form. Thank you for letting me know while there is still time to apply for it

CJ x