Are there now too many disabled parking spaces?

[Ladywithabagonherhead]

I know I will sound like an entitled cow, but I wonder if I am alone with this. I am all for helping people who have disabilities in any way we can, that is decent - and if you are disabled yourself reading this, this is not against you at all.

I more and more think that we are overdoing the whole disabled parking slot deal. It's been happening these last few months everywhere I go, shops, high streets, supermakets, vet, etc.. Everyone is struggling to find a space, while there is a whole row reserved for blue badge holders, with one maybe two parked there. Meanwhile, there are fewer spots for family cars with small children, for example. Surely... surely there are way more families with kids than disabled parking needs (and I don't even have kids, just an observation). Not to mention the rest of us. Again, yes, we need dedicated parking spots, but aren't we overdoing it? As in, it's not really balanced. This is what I experience where I live, at least.

DS is a blue badge holder and we can't always get a disabled parking space in certain car parks in our nearest town. Usually ok at supermarkets although our nearest one only has 3. Apparently it's supposed to be 6% of total capacity so yes there will be a lot in very large car parks but where there isn't enough parking generally disabled people will be disproportionately affected.

I think the correct statement is they are always empty when you see them. You don't see them 24/7. Pre blue badge I always thought the spots were rarely used. Post blue badge, it's hard to find a spot. In the same car parks.

No there's no where near enough especially at hospitals.

M.S sufferer here. I hope to God you’re never struck down later in life with these shitty diseases with no cure in sight, I was fit and healthy until the age of 41, it came out of nowhere. My Blue Badge and disabled bays are a lifesaver for me, otherwise I’d struggle, walking a very short distance to get where I need to go is impossible. Don’t be so pissy about disabled parking spaces!! If it makes you feel better I don’t park in able bodied parking spaces, just the disabled bays😎

Funny how I can rarely get a disabled space when I need one.

What I do see are people driving around in circles trying to get a space right next to wherever they want to be.

The abuse of blue badges and the spaces is amazing.

Sorry about your situation. To be fair what I said has nothing to do with the people personally at all.

The Truth will out then OP. I won't start a pile on but it seems you have an issue with disabled folk!!
Firstly too many spaces and then secondly take the licences off them and I suppose the resolution is to have groceries delivered to them. Let's confine them to the house. We don't want these people out and about they're a nuisance

I don't know about that. weekday, weekend, term time, holiday season, early morning, middays and afternoons, I go there plenty, and no matter what time it is, it's the same situation. While technically true, it would be too coincidental to assume that today all the disabled people in the area filled up the spaces between 11:00 and 16:00, (as I went there twice today, around 10:00 and 16:00, but yesterday they somehow sensed that I would go around lunchtime, so they filled up the spaces in the morning and then after lunch. and so on, every day.

I have disease which is very similar to MS but very rare. So for 5 years I struggled without answers. And without a blue badge. The lack of answers and diagnosis and a blue badge didn't meant I was bouncing across car parks and limbering up for marathons.

Surely most of us disabled people understand that there are many people who really struggle but don't quite get a blue badge? I certainly have many friends (through my illness network) who have been in tears after being refused blue badges because they struggle so much

It's not a binary.

jumping into conclusions here. I simply responded to someone who started a thought about too many people driving. but ok.

Please stop confusing " has a blue badge" and "disabled". Many many disabled and chronically ill people rely on ordinary parking.

Recently some of the motorway service stations have started converting disabled spaces into ev charging.

now that really fucks me off.

and there’s one service station I think on the m6 that has only two disabled spaces left.

No but it's annoying how many Ev charging space sit empty.

There's a park and ride near us where all the disabled spaces are pretty much always empty (no doubt because the service from the car park into the city centre is not very disabled friendly). The car park is otherwise full by 8am

Now that is just nasty! Taking away something that people otherwise would need is just horrible

Are you ever tempted to just block the fuckers in?

I think if you judge this by supermarket spaces then it’s not really the whole picture.

Better bike racks would be better. My ASDA has the bike racks next to the staff smoking area. I dot begrudge their staff a smoke break, but don't want to breathe any of it in.

either way it's off surely! If there are way too many in the supermarket, it's off, if there are not nearly enough in front of the GP, it's off

I don't think they are missing the point.

On average, disabled parking spaces in England represent only 5-6% of all spaces. Are you saying there are significantly more than this in your town?

In terms of your question above, how do you know how many disabled parking spaces are needed? Do you have access to the stats on the current number of disabled people in your area, plus an allowance for the average number of disabled visitors?

Don't be ridiculous. Yours sincerely, disabled veterans wife.

Surely it could be assessed on an observational status over time.

So if the disabled spaces are 20% full and the other spaces are 90% full, switch a few until the numbers are roughly similar. Equally, if the disabled spaces are 90% full but the other spaces 20% full, then clearly more disabled spaces are needed.

So a higher percentage may be needed in a hospital or GP surgery than outside a climbing centre.

It doesn't need to be exact either. But no one,.whether a BB holder or not should have to give up on a shopping trip because they can't find parking, whilst other spaces are routinely left empty

This

Then stop driving and start using the bus.

where I live there are not enough disabled parking spaces, I actually have a blue badge but try to leave the disabled spaces for those who have a greater need especially with equipment to get out the car or needing to fully open the car door which I don't need to do. I just can't walk too far..

I am not in charge of such calculations, and thus I have no idea how one would go about it. All I know is that if over an extended period of time it consistently shows that they are not being used while other drivers struggle, then it is off. Same as places where there would be a need for more disabled spots. it works both ways, and @Babyboomtastic put it into words perfectly above