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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask for your parking help?

53 replies

jessieca · 28/10/2021 14:48

I'm starting a new job and there is no parking provided. I'm disabled and a blue badge holder.

There are double yellow lines up the entire street my new work is on. I can park on double yellows but only for 3 hrs and no return for 1hr.

I will be working 8.30ish to 5.30pm. The other streets nearby all have a sign like this one. Am I allowed to park in these on-street bays all day with a blue badge? Thanks so much, I'm totally stressing about this now!

To ask for your parking help?
OP posts:
lanthanum · 28/10/2021 16:55

Maybe it's worth asking your local councillor whether there's any chance of being allowed to purchase a permit. There are usually a limited number of permits issued in each area, to householders, in order that they can actually find a space, but you never know - they might not be fully subscribed and the council might see it as a sensible solution to your problem, and good PR for them. I guess the other question is whether local employers are able to purchase permits.

Slowfoxfast · 28/10/2021 17:03

Some councils do not offer free parking for disabled badge holders in their permit only bays or mixed permit/pay bays but they may offer unlimited parking in pay only bays. I know one council who does this.

If you can't get a sensible answer on the phone, email the council and and copy in the councillor for that area (they will be listed on the council website.) You should be able to take your car to work if you are disabled. I hope you can find a resolution for this.

Original poster
jessieca · 28/10/2021 17:34

It looks as though I definitely can't park on the nearby streets to my new workplace. I've been for a drive out and when the restrictions stop, it's too far for me to walk back. I also have very variable days as I use a wheelchair when I need to be obviously won't be to start with. Not until I've been there long enough to build some credibility and trust with them.

I've found a car park that has 2 disabled bays in it, half a mile away. No bus route. Im going to park there my first week, get in nice and early then Uber the rest of the way. There goes the pay rise I negotiated. Hmm

OP posts:
lanthanum · 28/10/2021 17:52

Our council let companies in residential parking zones have up to three permits. Let's hope that your company turn out to be disability-friendly and that you are then able to work with them for a solution.

BetsyBigNose · 28/10/2021 19:20

I finally got a Blue Badge earlier this year and I was confused about parking in various places too, to begin with.

We mostly have Resident Permit Only parking and I am allowed to park there using my BB (although I continue to pay for my Resident Permit as DH also uses my car, and he obviously can't park using my BB). There are also some "1 Hour - No return within 1 hour" bays, which I can park in for as long as I like, while displaying my BB.

The only way I was able to find out the rules (despite reading through the Council website several times) was to keep an eye out for a Traffic Warden, and go and have a chat to him in person. I made a note of his name too, so if I was to end up with a parking ticket, I could appeal it on the grounds that TW Bob Jones has confirmed I was allowed! Whether that would work or not, I've no idea, but definitely worth having a chat with a TW and showing them the photo of the sign you've shown us.

Good luck in your new role!

Original poster
jessieca · 29/10/2021 10:49

Thanks for all the replies and best wishes in the new job. I've calmed down a bit and not so panicky about the parking now. I just need to accept the location for now. I know they are planning to move to a new building in about 6 months or so, I will be asking lots of subtle questions about this!

OP posts:
MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 29/10/2021 10:54

I wish it was a bit clearer, I'm always unclear about situations like this with my BB too.

I think it might be worth ringing your new employer and explaining the situation in case they can come up with anything. No parking normally but they might come up with something as you have a BB.

Fandangoes · 29/10/2021 11:01

There is no parking exemption for Blue Badge holders where signs show the area is restricted to permit holders. There is also no exemption in a permit bay where the signs state parking is also allowed for a limited time.

This reads to me to mean that blue badge holders will not be exempt from parking where signs show the area is restricted to permit holders - ie BB holders will be able to park there? And then I read the 2nd bit to mean that BB holders will not be exempt from parking in in a permit bay or restricted to the limited time.

Its really badly worded and unclear

Fandangoes · 29/10/2021 11:03

I think they should have said 'no parking RESTRICTION exemption' if they want to say the restrictions also apply to BB holders

purpledagger · 29/10/2021 11:27

Have you thought about contacting Access to Work as they may be able to help with the cost of taxis if driving is going to be a problem.

GrandOld · 29/10/2021 11:56

Access to work is a good shout OP.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 29/10/2021 12:09

@purpledagger

Have you thought about contacting Access to Work as they may be able to help with the cost of taxis if driving is going to be a problem.
That's a great idea.
Original poster
jessieca · 29/10/2021 12:33

@purpledagger

Have you thought about contacting Access to Work as they may be able to help with the cost of taxis if driving is going to be a problem.
I've used access to work with a previous employer and unfortunately that ended really badly. I'd have to get a form signed every week by my line manager who was a director (I'm a head of dept), to prove I had worked on the days I was claiming a taxi for. Id get snarky responses about their taxes paying for my taxis and there was a lot of deliberate misplacing of forms, not signing when asked and just leave it with me etc that I'd have to chase up all the time and the whole thing became a nightmare. I'd also have to leave work when the taxi arrived, although I was leaving on time there wasn't that flexibility to stay an extra 20 mins or so when needed and it just aggravated the situation. I am never going to put myself through that again.
OP posts:
LovelyLovelyWarmCoffee · 29/10/2021 13:02

@GrandOld

OP I asked a local parking warden when I was confused about parking. Saw him one day and stopped to ask.
I did that and ended with with a ticket issued by another warden. Sad
user1471447863 · 29/10/2021 13:34

Don't phone the council for advice that you are going to rely on, always email, then you have a paper trail with evidence should you get a ticket.
It would get you out the initial ticket(s) anyway then you'd have to find other arrangements.

The guys over on the peppipoo forums are quite good at figuring out the details of what you may or may not do so might be worth posting there.

Mosaic123 · 29/10/2021 13:41

In our area residents in a residential parking zone are allowed to buy visitors permits. Here (a London Borough) they cost 70p each and last for the day.

If you know anyone who lives in the AE zone you could ask them to order some for you.

Mosaic123 · 12/11/2021 09:44

What happened with the parking?

jessmin · 12/11/2021 18:02

It turns out the car park I found is only for 4 hours so I am moving my car on my lunch break to an on street bay nearby, then going out again just before 3hrs is up to move it to another bay on a different street so I'm not breaking the rules. I've had 2 parking tickets in my first 2 weeks. I'm miserable and fed up with it all, it's painful to fuck about moving the car all the time and I have no flexibility, I HAVE to move the car so can't finish the piece of work I'm doing first etc. it's shit.

But thanks so much for asking!! Grin

MsAgnesDiPesto · 12/11/2021 18:10

@jessieca

It looks as though I definitely can't park on the nearby streets to my new workplace. I've been for a drive out and when the restrictions stop, it's too far for me to walk back. I also have very variable days as I use a wheelchair when I need to be obviously won't be to start with. Not until I've been there long enough to build some credibility and trust with them.

I've found a car park that has 2 disabled bays in it, half a mile away. No bus route. Im going to park there my first week, get in nice and early then Uber the rest of the way. There goes the pay rise I negotiated. Hmm

Can you apply for financial help from Access to Work, OP? A colleague had this so she didn’t have to bus and then walk to work, she was able to get a taxi door to door, paid for. I am not sure how much information or support they need to see from your employer, so you might not be able to use it from day one, but it might be something to explore in the longer term.
Crepuscularshadows · 12/11/2021 18:11

You need to find the councillor for the ward that your work is in and go to their surgery and ask them to help you get parking near work. They're usually reasonably helpful. Weirdly. It's incredible how rules change when councillors get involved in person.

Undertheoldlindentree · 14/11/2021 08:30

If the car park that's only for four hours is a council one, does the LA offer free extension to blue badge holders?

This is from Cambridgeshire CC website for example:

"Blue badge extension permits are available if you work and wish to stay in a short-stay car park for longer periods"

Good luck, this truly is a travesty and I would consider raising it with your MP.

Undertheoldlindentree · 14/11/2021 08:33

Ha, ha...yes, as pp suggested, local Councillor would be obvious first stop before MP...

jessmin · 14/11/2021 08:40

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'm going to write to the local councillor and copy in my own, as I love and work in the same town now. All our other nearby towns that fall under different councils and their rules are all more favourable to blue badge holders.

The car park doesn't allow a free extension to parking for Blue Badge holders but other councils do. They could argue that I should just pay the £8 per day, then the Uber from the car park to door step of work which is about 500 meters and costing £4 each way. I've been moving the car to try and get free parking that is within my walking distance (50 meters) but maybe IABU and need to suck up the cost. It infuriates me though as a Blue badge is supposed to remove some of the barriers placed on disabled people, not just distance but also financial barriers.

An extra £14 a day, 20 days per month, for parking bollocks makes this job untenable for me.

Aurorie11 · 14/11/2021 09:48

Now you've started your job have you told your employer about your disability and more importantly the reasonable adjustments you need?
You have day 1 protection from dismissal if you are discriminated against.
What really set alarm bells going is that you sometimes need to use a wheelchair, you need a risk assessment to ensure your employer can get you out safely in the event of an emergency etc

delilahbucket · 14/11/2021 09:54

It will depend on the council but the chances are that is a no. I once got a ticket for parking with a permit holder only sign with a blue badge out. They did agree to cancel the fine because of the blue badge but only as a one off.