To think there is not enough disabled bays for how many badge users there are

[thecherryfox]

I have been disabled my entire life, as a kid and even as a teenager getting access to a disabled space was a lot easier than it is now. I believe now with the intake of how many people can access a badge with many different conditions - the amount of disabled bays have stayed the same but the influx of badge holders have risen.

Between 2021-2022 there was a 25% increase in blue badge holders from the previous year, but there wasn’t a 25% increase in disabled parking spaces. It’s rising each year, but there is no increase in parking spaces.

I’m physically disabled and the difference between me not getting a close space often means I cannot physically go. I know people with ‘hidden’ disabilities like bowel diseases would feel the same about accessing a close space. I’m truly not blaming individuals for getting badges because if they at eligible they are entitled to one - but it’s within the government to know that an increase of blue badge holders should mean an increase of spaces for people to access.

I wonder about this as well. There are not enough where I live, near Essex.

It's most odd that only abled bodied people claim they're empty.

We've been shopping (and to the hospital) at various times. It's rare not to have to drive around or wait

I’m thinking back to when we used parent spaces seeing them full while many empty disabled bays.

Our local Morrisons has three seperate sections where it hosts disabled bays, one basically by the cafe but right at the under cover, one lot within the parent bays, one lot on the side of the store. Side of the store is pretty much always empty all of the spaces.

Where I live there are so many empty disabled bays especially in supermarkets ( ie at least 30 free ones at various times of the day).

Big Tesco. Has three seperate car parks. Disabled along side long parent spaces, disabled along the store front. Never have we gone shopping and not seen at least two disabled spaces empty in the two main car parks.

I am obviously living in the wrong area!🤔

If your talking smaller business type parks. Well they just don’t have enough parking spaces full stop but again 9 out of 10 there’s normally one empty. I know because you go oooo finally a space, oh wait no it’s a disabled one. Keep circling.

@itsitsgettingweird - is that fareham by any chance? If not, that same thing happened there recently too!

@EmmaMaria Sadly this is the case in other hospitals. Have seen someone eatting their lunch in their car in a disabled spot without a blue badge, I had to park elsewhere and watched her get out in full hospital staff scrubs and walk back inside. I complained, but expect she and other staff still do it, as there are never any free spaces at the hospital.

And to others, I bet the always free disabled spaces you see are in locations that are not disabled accessible or not suitable.

We often find in motorway services that the electric charging spaces are closer to the building than the disabled spaces.

But its the case, there are always free disabled places when you dont need or have a blue badge, but disability can suddenly occur and once you get a blue badge, you suddenly discover the spaces you need one (such as the local drs or hospital) are always full with many not displaying a blue badge. I have too often had to turn the car around as the places are full.

I have problems getting a space with a blue badge. The TK Maxx in my town has only one space and it's shared with parents and children!! It makes me cross every time I visit there and think it should not be allowed. Also the number of people who park in the disabled spaces without a badge is outrageous.

"It states in the booklet that if you are driving a disabled person you are not entitled to use the space, you drop the person off and park as normal."

No it doesn't.

I once saw a very clever car park design that eliminated abuse of BB spaces. As it was just paint (which you'd have to put down anyway) I would assess it as being free to implement.

The fact I have only seen it once - despite suggesting it a few times when consultations for developments locally have gone out is it's own answer.

What we really need to do, is create a system were a bunch of folks with more money than they will every need can make more money from the provision and correct use of BB spaces. Then you'd see gold star service.

Supermarkets, retail parks and leisure centres.

I go to supermarkets and its almost always difficult to park regardless of the time

DD was recently granted a blue badge.

I've found it really quite difficult to use and quite often I can't find a disability bay anyway.

I've been surprised at the number of places that require you to preregister your blue badge with them before you can use it in their car parks. Apparently we're expected to know exactly where we are going to go and where we are going to park at least a week in advance.

It is still helpful in some situations but it hasn't been as helpful as I hoped it would. I also feel DD is more mobile than some other blue badge holders so we are sometimes feeling guilty about using any available spaces in case someone else with greater needs can't get parked.

I know what you mean op. In my town on our high street there were two bb parking spaces 25 years ago. Now there is three.
The population of the town as at least increased by 5 times in that time and there has been a correct increase in the entitlement of bb. Also we have a significant aging population with the related mobility issues.

Use of those parking spaces are not enforced well. One outside the supermarket is constantly used by people just popping into the supermarket for milk/bread/paper.

The other is constantly blocked in by the owner of a business that it is placed outside or by people dropping kids to pick up takeaways. The last one is in badly picked place and half the time the nearby residents use it rather than there designated parking spot.

I complained to the traffic warden and was asked did I have a bb and when I said no I was told it was not my business to complain.

You don’t have to use it all the time, if you’re having a day / in a location that DD needs to use it and there’s space to use it then use it without guilt. If you’re somewhere where a different layout means she’s fine in a regular space or having a better day and doesn’t need it or whatever then just don’t use it.

I agree with this. My current car is a bigger 7 seater and I can't open the door fully and take out/put in the youngest who is a baby in a car seat. My older kids- it's not a problem... I usually just park really far away where there might be an empty adjacent bay so I can open doors fully.

I see hardly any parent/child Bays but lots of empty disabled Bays. I say this as someone who regularly drives around a disabled relative who has a blue badge. Never had any trouble finding disabled parking so maybe it depends on your area. I'm sorry to hear that you're struggling with this though, I've seen how distressed my family member became during the long wait for the badge though.

Why feel guilty? You must have had enough reason to apply for it in the first place. If you don't feel the need to use it, then just don't.

And for those on long NHS waiting lists (some have been waiting years) who have had their movement and mobility badly affected but cant get a disabled badge as the disability caused by the wait is seen as temporary no matter how long the waiting list is!

I think it’s 5% on private premises and 6% in public parking areas. Sometimes this is under or over supply. Depends on area. New build areas usually have loads of them plus ev bays - so it’s others who have nowhere to park!

I think there are also discrepancies locally as you can apply for a bb without meeting the automatic qualifying criteria of pip/dla (with the exception of the elderly who wouldn't be eligible as they would claim aa). One la may give a bb and one may not if the person doesn't get high rate mobility.

I think for people who are on the age bracket to claim dla/pip bb's should only be given where high rate of mobility has been assessed.

High rate of mobility can be given for autism and other needs which aren't strictly physical.

@Perzival

Enhanced rate mobility isn't an automatic entitlement to a BB, in fact many people on standard mobility will have an automatic entitlement whilst others will get enhanced rate but still not have the automatic entitlement

edited to add, it’s having the points in the right place that dictates automatic BB entitlement

Interesting, always bloody loads of disabled spaces in car parks near me. Usually with cars parked wonky in them... I often wonder if the people should be driving at all

Yes, you are right, thank you for pointing that out. I worded it particularly badly.

My intent was that only people in the age bracket for dla/pip who automatically qualify should recieve it. I hope that makes better sense.

I was very conscious of pointing out that non mobility needs could still qualify as I didn't want to get jumped on for that.

Edited to add for info that those with high rate dla for mobility automatically qualify but not standard mobility or any care rate.