Disabled Parking Query

sheeps68

mumps wrote: »

I think if you ask most young people with BB and free tax disc they would prefer not to need one. My husband lost his job when we had a two year old and a baby of two weeks due to a disability. For the last 16 years I have been his carer. For a time I got carers allowance but due to financial pressure I had to increase my hours at work so lost that benefit. It is probably hard for others to imagine the pressures of work, being a mother and being the main carer of a disabled guy who is eight inches taller than me and considerably heavier. If you really begrudge us a free tax disc that much then help yourself. i haven't got any fight left in me.

Exactly. I'd give my Blue badge, tax disc, dla and little bit in disabled tax credits back willingly to be be healthy again and be able to work a full working week. I was advised by the hospital to drop back to 3 days a week at work but simply cannot afford to do that so now try to work 4 days. Incidently by using every concession available etc to me as a single person I am still about £150 worse off a month. BUT I am still alive which had I not of reduced hours and taken the benefits it is unlikely I would be!

daska

I dont' begrudge anyone a tax disc! What I was saying was that the system, as it stands, is unfair. Why should pensioners be denied this benefit just because they are over 65? Why should couples and families be denied it just because they can't afford two cars? My point is that it is those on the lowest incomes that are least likely to qualify. If you are disabled and need a car then you are disabled and need a car. It should be means tested or it should be granted to everyone who has serious mobility problems.

Babshubbie

sheeps68 wrote: »

Exactly. I'd give my Blue badge, tax disc, dla and little bit in disabled tax credits back willingly to be be healthy again and be able to work a full working week

All of us would not wish to be in a position to need a BB, tax disc or anything else. But given that we do, I agree with daska.

mumps

I think some local authorities are trying to reduce abuse. If I go down to our local beach I will find a car park with 1000 spaces empty and people with blue badges park on the double yellow lines. They then walk across the car park to get to the beach. This sort of thing leads to people viewing the scheme as a rip off. I mean out of season its 30p to park there and people do a long walk to avoid paying the 30p. My husband certainly can't walk that far. When the general public view this sort of thing they become less sympathetic to badge holders. Same in our town centre, badge holders were blocking main road parking either side of entrance to a car park. Now no loading rules applied (well I think thats what it is or no stopping at all) so everyone pretty fed up with badge holders.

Our local authority doesn't let anyone park free in car parks with blue badge or free tax disc, the only people who park free are people with bb who apply for a special local parking pass. Only available to local tax payers who meet strict criteria. Only to be used in designated car. The only general concession for bb is you get one hour additional parking free if you display your badge. My husband had bb for about ten years before getting the local parking pass and in all that time we had to pay for local car parks. The neighbouring authority allowed bb holders to park free until about two years ago when they tightened up.

Different areas introducing different rules to deal with this issue. I think it is going to get worse, all councils looking to raise money and parking is easy pickings.

I think if you succeed with your one size fits all policy then fewer people will get help because there is a limit to help available.

daska

I don't think charging for parking is unfair. I just think it's unfair to penalise those on low incomes, which is what happens when car parks have free parking for the free tax disc but charge for parking if you've paid for your tax disc.

Babshubbie

There is another aspect to this debate. If you are fit and well you can choose whether to use public transport and avoid parking altogether. If you are disabled and/or elderly you may not have that choice and are compelled to use a car to get around.

Here, in Greater London, pensioners and disabled have Freedom passes to use buses and railways more or less freely. But if we cannot use them because of a disability we have to either drive or be driven.

Tally-Ho_2

daska wrote: »

I don't think charging for parking is unfair. I just think it's unfair to penalise those on low incomes, which is what happens when car parks have free parking for the free tax disc but charge for parking if you've paid for your tax disc.

Not everyone with a BB, old or young are on low incomes, just as those with the free disabled tax disc are not necessarily on a high income. What you have said is a far too simplistic view.

As it is, there must be rules and some form of regulation attached to the issue of free road tax for disabled people to enable it to perform its role.What better criteria is there of doing it other than by need?.

As someone else alluded to earlier in this thread, the problem is the refusal to give DLA to those over a certain age. However I cannot see any hard pressed government addressing that one. So, the current system is probably the fairest way of doing it based on need and to be honest I cannot ever see that changing to permit more access (ie less revenue to the government).

Tally

Tally-Ho_2

Babshubbie wrote: »

There is another aspect to this debate. If you are fit and well you can choose whether to use public transport and avoid parking altogether. If you are disabled and/or elderly you may not have that choice and are compelled to use a car to get around.

Here, in Greater London, pensioners and disabled have Freedom passes to use buses and railways more or less freely. But if we cannot use them because of a disability we have to either drive or be driven.

In London there is the subsidised Taxicard scheme for residents to enable those who cannot use public transport to get around:

http://www.taxicard.org.uk/

Tally

Babshubbie

Tally-Ho wrote: »

In London there is the subsidised Taxicard scheme for residents to enable those who cannot use public transport to get around:

http://www.taxicard.org.uk/

Tally

Yes, thanks, I agree . But it isn't free. There is a free scheme, Dial-a-Ride, which is really first class. Transport has to be booked a day or so ahead, ideally. And you have to register to prove disability.

daska

Tally-Ho wrote: »

Not everyone with a BB, old or young are on low incomes, just as those with the free disabled tax disc are not necessarily on a high income. What you have said is a far too simplistic view.

As it is, there must be rules and some form of regulation attached to the issue of free road tax for disabled people to enable it to perform its role.What better criteria is there of doing it other than by need?.

As someone else alluded to earlier in this thread, the problem is the refusal to give DLA to those over a certain age. However I cannot see any hard pressed government addressing that one. So, the current system is probably the fairest way of doing it based on need and to be honest I cannot ever see that changing to permit more access (ie less revenue to the government).

Tally

But they don't issue it by need! Many pensioners are disabled but don't get it because they can't claim DLA. Families and couples who can only afford one car but who need to use the car for other purposes don't get it, despite the fact that they might be needing 24 hour care and be wheelchair bound.