Blue Badge Parking Fees

[SPAP]

After overwhelming opposition, Bromley Council has decided to reverse its plans to introduce Blue Badge parking fees in its car parks. Our objections were based on the fact that it must be an unfair proposal, if able-bodied people have the choice to walk or cycle to their destination and pay nothing, while Blue Badge holders have to park (due to their disability) and under the plan, pay.

We're aware that many other councils charge and would urge other members of the public to object. It's the principle of Blue Badge holders paying more then able-bodied people, as well as the cost. We are hoping that our success can be replicated nationally and that ultimately Blue Badge holders will not have to pay anywhere in the country.

I would definitely push for PIP if you cannot walk

I would just park in a P&C space if the disabled bays are full, if I needed to then.

Most parents would have no issue with this, I’m sure.

people just need to be sensible and considerate

it works both ways. You shouldn’t expect extra treatment because you’re disabled, it should just be what can be done to level the experience to that of someone non disabled

I was just going to post about WAV's and not being able to park on the street.
but you put it so well I will just quote you . @ohtowinthelottery

If parking is charged, then people with BBs will as a group pay more because:

a) they have fewer options than able bodied people and so are more likely to need to park (or to move the car from place to place and need to pay more than once), and

b) more likely to need extra time, whether to get in and out of the car or because they will need longer to do the shopping (or whatever the errand is).

Not everyone, but across a group. If BB holders pay for parking, they will pay more than the able bodied population.

The reason that supermarkets have so many parent and child spaces is that young families are their best customers. A friend who is the manager of a large supermarket told me this.

I can walk but I can’t walk uphill and couldn’t walk the 2 miles into town for example I’ve never applied for PIP , I’m not disabled in that sense I just have an array of chronic diseases that mean I have limitations . I know PIP and blue badge are different but I was under the impression that if you get higher rate mobility on PIP that you can automatically get a blue badge - or so I read .

Having a BB doesn't inherently mean you are struggling financially. It's not means tested. Plenty of holders are multimillionaires.
I think if you are in the carpark then ideally they should put priority BB holder spaces nearer the exits or more conveniently. But you should still pay something. Maybe if BB holder on means tested benefits you could register the car or have another badge and that would trigger a discount? That way if your both poor and disabled you do get some benefit.

That sounds like a disability to me, but carry on struggling, or apply for a BB, it is up to you. Plenty of people with a BB, are not in receipt of PIP.

I’ve got a BB and I don’t object to paying to park. However I do think there should be a reasonable adjustment made for disabled person when it comes to parking fees, because it takes me twice as long, at least, to do what I need to do in town compared to DH for example.

Do you really begrudge the most disabled people in society (even the rich ones) free parking? I think the cost of trying to administer the scheme you suggest would cost more than the revenue. I would seriously question your assertion that 'plenty of holders are multimillionaire' - all the ones I know (and I know very many) are not wealthy at all.

But what would be a 'reasonable adjustment'? Most disabled people have completely different needs and requirements and assessing each and every one according to a list would be time-consuming and expensive. Also, many Blue Badge holders really can't afford to pay a parking fee every time they go out, which would for many people literally be EVERY time they go out.

Quite agree with all your points. Thank you.

My SIL is currently applying for a BB and lives in the Bromley area. Lives mortgage free, retired at 55 and well over 100k in the bank. I'm sure she doesn't mind paying but I'll let her know.

A reasonable adjustment would be a lesser fee to take into account that it takes some disabled people, not all, longer to do what they need to do. These fees have to be paid for by someone, they’re not free at the end of the day. It’s other people paying for them on their parking fees, and their council tax, and they aren’t necessarily well off either.

I don’t struggle , I park the car like everyone else . I do not fulfil the local criteria as I said . My point was that plenty of people are like the OPs daughter and have to take the car places and many do not qualify for a BB and hence have to pay so there is no reason why a BB holder should be completely exempt .

Intrigued. Why do you think that Blue Badge holders, who by dint of the fact they qualify for a Blue Badge are the most disabled in society and have no other option but to park, should pay the same as people who CHOOSE to park, as opposed to walk or cycle?

Also, if BB holders need to visit two destinations in an area, they would have to park twice, because they can't walk between them like able-bodied people can.

Blue Badge holders would end up paying more.

I have another little anecdote about the idiocy of those who think up parking charges for Blue Badge holders;
A number of years ago, our general hospital redid the car parking and created a 'blue badge only ' car park near to the Outpatients entrance - so far, so good. Then they introduced parking charges for said car park. This was done by installing a pay and display ticket machine between the car park and the hospital entrance. So, a disabled person pulls into a parking space, walks to the ticket machine, buys a ticket, walks back to the car to put the ticket in the windscreen before walking back past the ticket machine to get to their appointment. If they couldn't remember their registration number as required to purchase the ticket - which they only discovered on reaching the machine - they had to walk back to their car to check the reg and then back to the machine again to input it and buy the ticket then back to the car to put the ticket in the windscreen before heading off to their appointment. As a lot of the users of this carpark were elderly, the latter scenario was quite frequent. I wouldn't like to repeat what I would have said to the person who thought this was a good thing for people with a disability, had I ever met them!
Thankfully, they eventually changed the charging system to APNR cameras with a payment machine just inside the hospital doors, but the previous system was in place for many years!

Well done @SPAP and thank you for sharing this.

My ds is a BB holder and wheelchair user.

No he couldn't "walk" into town like an able bodied person but he can wheel himself in.

Our town the BB parking is free in some car parks. Same as some local leisure centres. Some beach fronts are free.

Some places you pay.

He and I don't begrudge paying.

What we are cross about is the P and C spaces being closer than Bb spaces in many car parks for those who do find walking difficult. Or the BB spaces with no hatched lines so wheelchair users and WAV vehicles can't access them. Or not enough BB full stop in some places.

It's an area where one size doesn't fit all as not everyone with a BB needs to be closer (we need the wide space) but not everyone who is AB without a BB actually could walk the distances required without paying for parking.

Thank you for your comment. I have to say that I'm very much motivated by the fact that I hate it when disabled people are disadvantaged and policies which charge Blue Badge holders to park are plainly unfair.

I understand what you're saying, but in most instances, Blue Badge holders are the most disabled people in society and in many instances, people have had to give up work because of their illnesses. Not enough BB spaces is definitely another problem and I agree that not every able-bodied person can always reach their destination without paying to park, but the difference is that Blue Badge holders ALWAYS have to park and under councils which charge, would ALWAYS have to pay.

There are many instances where able-bodied people are able to access their destination on foot or cycle. Able- bodied people can also choose to park in the cheapest car park in town, rather than the nearest one to their destination, because they can walk there. If I take my daughter into town and she wants to go for a coffee and then to the library, we would have to park and pay twice, while an able-bodied person could walk between their destinations.

Blue Badge holders would end up paying more because they're disabled and have no choice.

Not all Blue Badge holders can park on yellow lines. One of our supporters, Janet, is 80 years old, has COPD and has to carry oxygen around with her. She is not able to step up from the road onto the pavement. Also, if she's parked on a busy road, she would have to either get her equipment out onto a busy road or onto a busy pavement - impossible for her.

Unfortunately, Blue Badge holders do have to pay to park in many car parks and this is what we are hoping to overturn, as, unlike able-bodied people, Blue Badge holders do not have the option/choice of walking to their destination, and would pay more than people who can.

I have MS and can't walk into town and probably could qualify for a Blue Badge because I've had lots of falls, but I think others need it more.

If you don't have a Blue Badge, and you haven't been assessed as one of the most disabled people in society, you shouldn't qualify for free parking. As I say, I don't have one so can't park for free when I'm in the car on my own, but my daughter is severely disabled, has a Blue Badge and when I take her out, we do and in my opinion, should be able to park for free - otherwise, she'd never go out .