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.

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I think the problem with your posts is it is all about you .

i read post on fb the other day that peppa pig world were only charging 1/2 price for carers when it’s a place that parents go with young children .

i get life is hard for you but councils are broke too , they are bating out care if they can , services are been cut and in reality the purpose of pip is to pay for additional expenses .

I drive to work as I have a ND teenager at home who I don’t have an hour and a half extra time it would take me to walk to the bus stop both ends of the journey and the longer bus ride .

whilst disabled parking is really important free isn’t .

Oh dear. How can we have any understanding if we don’t have our own experiences??? A post will say that ‘All the people I see with Blue Badges have expensive cars’ or’ many BB holders are millionaires’ , so I counter with my experience and all of a sudden, it’s all about me!!!!

Youre right! I really don’t understand how anyone, whatever their financial position, can’t see that Blue Badge holders (the most vulnerable in our society) who have no choice but to drive and park at their destination - they can’t walk or cycle there - should pay the same as able-bodied people to park, when this would mean they will potentially pay substantially more than able-bodied people, who have the choice in how to arrive at their destination,

I know you hate my personal tales so I’ll make up one which bears a v close resemblance to my own :). Jo Bloggs lives near a large town. He is able-bodied and could easily walk into that town and back ever day for a year, without paying a penny in parking fees.

His daughter, Jane Doe is severely disabled, has a Blue Badge and cannot go anywhere unless she is driven there and parks. If she went there every day for a year, she would have to pay every day to park.

Ergo, she would I pay substantially more than her father over the course of a year.

No matter what your finances, surely anyone can see that a Blue Badge holder is paying more than an able-bodied person and this is simply unfair???

Actually, according to the government website, it’s around 5% of people who have a Blue Badge.

Do you think your responses to posters with differing opinions to you are really helping your cause?

I completely understand that many people have Blue Badges for a number of conditions and support that, but you still haven’t explained how v I’ve been disrespectful.

Phew! At last! Thank you so much. Someone who really gets it! It’s completely about fairness and equity.

OP, well done for getting Bromley to reverse their decision.

BB users have (usually) no choice but to drive and use a car park.

Some of the replies on this thread about BB users are horrible.

I agree with you OP but MN doesn’t like disabled people so expect plenty of negative responses.
After all, we are a drain on society and should be grateful for the undeserved “perk” of a blue badge.
We can pay parking fees from our equally undeserved enormous disability benefits which we would otherwise fritter away on exotic holidays, latest iphones and giant tellys.

I have no idea. I am aware that some people really do understand.

What do you object to in my response to your post?

Thank you for your response. I’m beginning to see that you are right. Fairness and compassion don’t seem to be a factor 🥲

Many thanks for your response. It’s unfortunate, but I quite agree.

Wow! I dearly hope that you never become disabled.

Many people without BBs suffer health and mobility issues. My FIL can not get a Blue Badge but has MS which affects his ability to walk when it flares up. It causes pain, aching, exhaustion, inability to walk any distance- fortunately not serious loss of function as yet. He has no choice but to drive and can not do that until an attack is wearing down. He does not qualify for a Blue Badge.
He even drives the 500m to the station to get the metro to town and pays for station parking. Disability is not limited to Blue Badge holders.

Those of us in rural locations have to drive whether we are disabled or not so there is no choice. We are currently fighting the parking charges they want to bring in which will decimate our town centres because everyone will drive to the retail out of town place 25 mins away with free all day parking (and quite frankly far better shops). Being able to walk, cycle or take public transport is very dependent on where you live

I know!!! I have highly active MS too. I know all about the neuropathic pain (I’m on meds -duloxetine- for it) and the other symptoms you mention as I have them too. Extreme fatigue is a major issue and I receive a 6-monthly infusion to treat it.

I haven’t applied for a Blue Badge though I think I might now qualify for one because I’ve had so many falls and must do it. I know my MS Nurse would support it.

i know how hard it is to get a Blue Badge because it was hard to get one for my daughter.

You know how hard your partner is struggling now. I hope it doesn’t progress, but if it did, Im sure you wouldn’t want him to pay more than his able-bodied peers because he would have no choice but to drive and park?

I don't understand why you are saying that able-bodied people can walk or cycle. I cannot walk or cycle to my local shop because it is too far, unsafe and would take too long. I also need my car to put my shopping in because I have a painful of back and can't carry it. Plus I have children so as a family we are unable to walk or cycle to the shops for the same reasons as above. It's weird that you think people without a BB should be walking and cycling everywhere.

There's no actual case to your points OP - you are asking for a discretion in policy making that's all, it would be nice if it could be given but will vary massively on areas and their individual budgets and what they will and will not fund. You'd get more credibility if you accepted that's what it is than making a flawed argument that doesn't reflect how the law on disability discrimination and comparators works.

You've repeated the same point several times, that able bodied people have a choice on whether or not they drive and then need to park. I can only assume you live somewhere urban if you have that view, as it is totally not true of many areas of the UK, where I live the only way the vast majority of people can get to town etc is to drive. Walking, cycling or public transport is not an option, irrelevant of whether someone is disabled or not. Hence no able-bodied comparison scenario to apply against. No blue badge driver here is in any different a situation than an able bodied person and both are incurring the same cost out of necessity.

Aren't disabled benefits supposed to be used to pay for things like parking?

Yes, I'd be more than happy for means tested parking benefits.

I'd be happy for them to be universal or public transport benefits.

My physically disabled son is a software developer.

A few quid to park doesn't affect him nor does it make him less disabled because he can pay.

You aren’t listening to anyone who has a different view than you. You are labelling all blue badge holders as if we can’t function. It’s insulting to band us all together like we’re all grateful to be able to go outside. I do all I can to not be a victim of my disability and your comments
1434 the most vulnerable in society
1627 the most disabled people in society
1636 the most disabled in society
1706 the most disabled people in society
1725 one of the most disabled people in society
2110 blue badge holders are the most disabled and disadvantaged people in society
2145 blue badge holders are severely disabled
2210 being so severely disabled that you qualify for a blue badge
2224 to qualify for a blue badge they should be quite severely disabled
2257 the most vulnerable in society
just aren’t true for the majority of blue badge holders. Maybe we just have different views but your glass appears to be half empty whereas mine is half full.

Given the world for you is starkly split into BB and 'able bodied' and you do not have a BB, then there's nothing stopping you walking and cycling either is there?

Except, you are in that middle category which you seem to refuse to believe exists.

Not all disabled people have a BB.
Not all BB holders are impoverished.

Why are you ignoring these facts?

Ps: I actually don't care whether the parking is free or not. I've no objection if it is, but I don't think it's necessary per se. What I object to is this weirdly black and white assumption that all non BB holders can walk or cycle, when many have disabilities that affect their mobility.

No, I just hate unfairness and inequity. I don’t think disabled people are treated well or kindly in our society, it angers me and I hope at some stage, this will change.

Of course I’m aware that there are many disabled people and able-bodied people who don’t have a Blue Badge who have health issues. If their health/mobility issues become unbearable, then they can apply for a Blue Badge.

Not all Blue Badge holders are poor, but a very large percentage are. You are focusing on the wealthier ones, rather than the poorer ones who really can’t afford to pay, especially if they are no longer able to work.

You are missing the point.

It's my FIL not my DH but the point is BB owners are simply a group amongst many disabled people; they are a group deemed entitled to a BB.

Many disabled people use car parks as often as BB owners because they have mobility issues- it is not a choice for them, any more than it is for BB owners. They pay for the space. Why should they be further disadvantaged like that vs BB owners? FIL often has to use spaces furthest away from the entrance to find one with room where he can have the car door fully open. Then walk to the machine, then back to the car, then across the car park again to the station- he just pays for it and gets on with it. Yet you seem to feel a BB owner should not only have the advantage of a bigger space in a more convenient place but also not pay for the space and you complain if they had to pay they would be doubly disadvantaged.

The truth is that carparks are rip-offs. Prices are not reasonable in most carparks and they are another money making exercise for very wealthy, scummy businessmen. They appear, to me, unregulated by anyone other than themselves.