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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be fuming about this

99 replies

elliejjtiny · 18/12/2015 19:34

I'll probably be flamed for this but here goes anyway ...

We have 5 DC. 2 have blue badges, 1 of them has a disabled bus pass. 1 other child has autism.

This week our local council has decided to start charging blue badge holders to park in the council run car parks from April next year. Also the local buses are planning on stopping people using their bus passes between 9 and 9:30am and scrapping the free companion thing.

I'm not happy (and neither is one of the councillors who also has a blue badge and wasn't even allowed to vote because he was biased). I know cuts have to come from somewhere and we're all in this together etc. But I still want to shout "it's not fair".

I won't bore you with our sob story but I'll just say that I spent a long time getting DS2 and DS4 their blue badges and DS2 his bus pass (lots of paperwork, phonecalls etc involved, and with DS4 we had to appeal as well). Now it feels like my efforts have been partly wasted. I have to fight for everything my boys get because of their disabilities and I'm just sick of it.

OP posts:

greenfolder · 18/12/2015 20:26

I have always assumed it is free because of the inherent difficulties faced by the disabled, not able to use buses etc. it makes me sick that the disabled are being targeted in this way, making their lives that little bit more difficult. I am yet to meet a blue badge holder that wouldn't swap it in a heartbeat to not have their disability

londonrach · 18/12/2015 20:26

Tbh i never understood why people with bb parked free. When mum had one she was just grateful to be able to park in a bigger space close to the entrance so we could get the wheelchair out and said she be happy to pay for the privilege.

lostinmiddlemarch · 18/12/2015 20:27

I have a blue badge but certainly don't get free parking. I don't quite see the connection.

fidel1ne · 18/12/2015 20:28

YANBU OP.

I'm surprised at the level of nit-picking this thread has attracted.

londonrach · 18/12/2015 20:30

I had more of a problem with the disabled spaces being on slight none existent hills unless you have a wheelchair, and keeping a wheelchair still whilst helping mum out of the car was impossible in some places. Luckily i had several members of the public who came to help us as saw me struggling.

aprilanne · 18/12/2015 20:33

our council charges £20 a year for blue badge then you park free only in council car parks .maybe thats a better idea

Shineyshoes10 · 18/12/2015 20:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Chewbecca · 18/12/2015 20:34

Can I give an example where I do think car parking should be free?

It costs over £5 a day to park at our local station. I can walk there currently, so it costs me nothing. However, if I were in a wheelchair, I would not have the choice to drive/walk/take bus to the station, I would have to use the car park, thus increasing my travel to work costs by £30 a week & there would be no other option.

fidel1ne · 18/12/2015 20:34

People with disabilities are statistically much more likely to be poor. Anyone with a blue badge has considerable mobility difficulties and therefore faces extra expense just to live normal life, get out and about etc.

THAT is the reason local authorities discount parking for BB holders.

Even if EVERY poster on MN knows a financially confortable BB holder, it is STILL true that, on average, BB holders are worse off than the average citizen and have considerably higher transport expenses.

Therefore, in a civilized society, small parking concessions are given.

DoJo · 18/12/2015 20:37

I'm not happy (and neither is one of the councillors who also has a blue badge and wasn't even allowed to vote because he was biased).

This seems a bit odd - are other councillors excluded from voting on issues which might directly affect them as well? Surely having someone who represents the people who are likely to be affected is the point of councils?

Original poster

elliejjtiny · 18/12/2015 20:39

Forgot to add DS1's DLA doesn't even cover the cost of his nappies. DS's SN preschool is 30 minute drive away so petrol for that costs more than mainstream. Hospital parking. SN friendly extra curricular activities are further away than mainstream too. Toys cost more, we need a roofbox for DS4's wheelchair. Food for me when DS4 is in hospital (frequently, he's had 9 operations in the last 2 years). Electric/wear and tear on washing machine (I wash a duvet and pillow most days as well as the other stuff). Nappies for longer (and bigger nappies are more expensive). Time off work for DH. Disabilities add extra expense and DLA only covers some of it.

OP posts:

EleanorRigsby · 18/12/2015 20:40

I wonder just how much revenue the local council believe will be gained by adding these charges? It must be negligible.

thelouise · 18/12/2015 20:43

Fucking hell, there are some ignorant people on this thread who clearly know nowt about the costs associated with disabilities, as well as how difficult it is to actually claim disability benefits.

MrsBobDylan · 18/12/2015 20:46

Yanbu. The not paying part of the blue badge isn't just financial - if you have a disabled child who is kicking and hitting you while you lift them out of the car, the last thing you need is the walk to find the pay station, searching for change, walk back to the car to put the ticket in. It's true that some car parks allow you to pay by text and that's a real game changer, but many don't.

hedgehogsdontbite · 18/12/2015 20:48

But everyone faces those problems surely?

Are you for real? You seriously think those problems are the same for everyone? So nobody can use this parking meter? Because I can't.

hedgehogsdontbite · 18/12/2015 20:49

How about this one?

Becca19962014 · 18/12/2015 20:50

There are councils who already charge, and charge the same as everyone else e.g. No discount or extra time allowance. Mine has since April 2014 and the BB criteria is becoming increasingly restrictive for those without high rate mobility DLA/PIP.

The justification was how much revenue the council lost by allowing BB holders to park free in car parks. They also removed the three hour allowance as that was costing too much as well. The time allowance was a massive blow as the BB spaces are the other end of the car park to the parking machines (which at the time of building made sense).

Becca19962014 · 18/12/2015 20:51

And the meters are inaccessible if you are in a wheelchair.

Becca19962014 · 18/12/2015 20:52

X-post with hedgehogs pics!

EmilyPunkhurst · 18/12/2015 21:00

They're not just inaccessible in a wheelchair: they may also be inaccessible if you use crutches, have problems with balance or have problems with your hands/arms/shoulders (as well as mobility issues - as you don't get a BB for the latter on its own).

CheeseandGherkins · 18/12/2015 21:05

Actually shocked at some of the comments here by, supposedly, intelligent people. Actually shocked. Akin to comments from the daily mail readers comments; oh, wait...

Becca19962014 · 18/12/2015 21:09

I appreciate that Emily, I'm not in a wheelchair and can't manage the machines myself due to hand issues. I didn't mean to imply otherwise.

EmilyPunkhurst · 18/12/2015 21:12

Sorry if that read abruptly Becca, it absolutely wasn't meant to! It wasn't meant for you either, but for the PP upthread who don't seem to grasp why the issue is so much more complex than they seem to think.

SchnooSchnoo · 18/12/2015 21:20

YANBU.

I am at your OP and even more and at the replies on this thread. And the councillor not being allowed to vote !

VaticanAssassin · 18/12/2015 21:22

weirdcatlady

My dd has a blue badge but I don't see why we should get free parking. I understand the reasons why you might need to drive rather than other options but isn't that was dla/pip is for?

I agree.

My DS has a disability, which he receives DLA for. But we don't expect free BB parking, as I've always assumed that is what the Mobility Element of his DLA was paid for

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