Disabled blue badge holders

[dave50]

I can understand the disabled needing these badgers to be able to park nearer where they want to go but why do they also get free parking?

[joko]

i wonder if perhaps there should be a tiered severity system ...
there are people who are less affected by their condition and are able to walk etc...albeit, not far, but can manage better than some others compared people whose condition is permanent and more severe - such as paraplegics or having thalidomide, or no legs or arms etc.

or perhaps the ones that are capable of working and do, could pay?
this could be marked somehow on the badge itself.

disabilities vary so much that maybe blanket rules is wrong?


i agree though that this sort of gripe is often just about someone else getting something theyre not ...

[Hopkirk]

.... and why are blue badge holders exempt from the hosepipe ban?

[mccfluff]

i want a parking badger

[jomifl]

I wouldn't begrudge any disabled person free parking, they aren't disabled out of choice.

[hc4361]

Because blue badge holders can park for three hours on double yellow lines and single yellow lines, free of charge.
The councils would prefer them to park in the car park rather than block surrounding roads up.

[hc4361]

Hopkirk, a person who warrants a blue badge will not be able to haul buckets of water. You try it in a wheelchair over uneven ground.
Many disabled people do their own gardening and water the garden themselves. Others may rely on paid or free gardeners to do it for them, but gardens need watering more than once a week or once a fortnight.

[beckersjay]

Don't forget that most blue badge holders don't have the option of using public transport and would tend to incur more frequent parking charges than most. Many are elderly and might well qualify for free public transport if they could use it.
Having said that, and having struggled to find parking places for my elderly infirm mother before she died, there is an awful lot of blue badge abuse, and I suppose making even a reduced charge might reduce that???

[EDDIE51]

Disabled badge holders are likedly to have difficulty in carrying a watering can full of water so they are exempt from the hosepipe ban. As to diffent levels of disability it would cost many times more to impliment than the current system and achieve very little if anything.
The vast majority of Blue badge holders would willingly give up the badge in return for good health . Again most disabled badge holders are on a very low income and depend on benefits , they just can't afford the parking charges.

[whiskeryron]

I am a Blue Badge holder & I agree that a charge could be made for parking to help Councils with their budgets, I also have a Senior Citizen's travel pass to enable me to use Public Transport for free.
I would be quite happy to contribute something for this perhaps £20 per annum. I think all pensioners should be asked to contribute.

W Ron.

[Everhelpful]

Not again!! How many times has this subject been discussed? They get Free Parking sometimes.GET OVER IT!!!!!!!!!!!

[Gavmacp]

A friend fell. Just a fall nothing exciting. A fall that if it happened to me I would just get up dust myself down and in 6 months probably not even remember it. Well her fall has taken over 3 years to just about get over it.
The day I look at her and think bloody hell you have an easy life will be the day I think disabled people should contribute more!

[beanebabe]

Disabled doesn't mean poor. My parents are in their 70's and don't have a badge, so have to pay everywhere. My uncle in relatively well off and has a badge (dodgy knee) but still manages to sleep in the bunk above the drivers seat of his huge camper van. There is a lot of abuse of the system. In the new multi storey at the hospital where I work, a disabled driver was so incensed at having to pay, he rammed the barrier.

[LoftyLottie]

I wish I didn't have a blue badge. Full stop. The only place I get free parking is in the hospital car park. I also wish I could carry a heavy watering can.

[LoftyLottie]

I also have a free bus pass - problem is there are no buses where I live!! ;o).

[RATTER15]

My good lady has a blue badge but no free parking around this area, she has to pay like everybody else, however she does not have the ability to walk to the shops like everybody else. Taking the car to town is a necessity not a choice.

[dickythecook]

I have a blue badge and I park in Morrisons car park in my local town. Sometimes the disabled places are all taken and I park in a "normal" bay and display my badge. One occasion I was almost spat at by a person who said that we should all pay for our parking. I did point out that when you buy a £1 parking ticket and spent over £2 pounds in store you got your money for the ticket knocked off your bill. For this £1 you get 2 hours parking, so the lucky people who are fleet of foot can dash round the town, put their shopping in the car and top up their groceries for free. We also have a car park that allows you to park (everyone that is) for an hour for nothing. Just press a button and the ticket is issued. It is good for the trades people 'cos drivers can just park for 5 or 10 mins without feeling robbed. Blue Badges park free as long as they are displayed. Woe betide anyone who does not display a valid ticket or a badge. The 'abled' parkers can extend the time buy inserting £1 at the time of parking. The car park is policed by sensible and friendly traffic wardens and they are fair but very firm. I don't think that anybody has actually had their parking ticket overturned by appealing. If you pay it the same day in person or by phone the price of transgression is halved. Delay payment and the fine doubles and doubles again if you want to play silly bu@@ers with the local council