Scots Beware when using Blue Badge in England

amd

Hi,
My mum has a Blue Badge issued here in Scotland and not due to expire until Dec this year. We were in Wolverhampton for two days a couple of months ago and parked in an on-street disabled bay and displayed our badge. We noted signs for a 3 hour limit and returned before it was up but were dismayed to find we already had a parking ticket. A woman sitting nearby had questioned the parking attendant as she could clearly see our badge, but he'd told her we didn't display it properly! We were totally confused.

After a bit of googling on directgov website it turned out we must now also display a paper 'clock' showing the time of arrival. However, clocks are only being issued here in Scotland to new applicants as of Jan this year and I've yet to come across anywhere here with a time limit so as to require one. Apparently we'll get ours when we renew, which is why none of us had even heard of this new rule. As it will be a while before all users here have one I imagine they'll not enforce it in Scotland for a year or two.

The UK legislation states that other EU members can use their own country's badge system when in the UK, so we argued the Scots should surely be treated the same as our system is different at the moment. We thought we had a good case and thankfully received a letter dismissing the charge. The council were good enough to enclose a clock should we be in the area in the future.

I just wanted to point this out to Scots (and others) who may find this info useful and save themselves the hassle and distress it caused us. I know that ignorance of the law is no excuse, but these days it's flippin impossible to keep up with things!

vax2002

They will dismiss it, all initial appeals are rejected.
Your appeal will only be taken seriously by the parking adjudication service
If you have not paid you need to get the ticket scanned both sides along with your rejection letter and post it on this forum:
http://forums.pepipoo.com/
It specialises in overturning such injustices, but only if you have not paid yet.
I am 100% certain the council will not defend the charge at Adjudication for fear of having to refund everyone they have tried to rob.

give_them_FA

Vax, behave! The OP said that the Council cancelled the PCN.

Well done Wolverhampton, an example to the other Councils who do not listen!

GoPD

Yes nice to hear of a Council being helpfull.

AltheHibby

amd,

I can understand the warden's confusion, but at least it has been handled well. At least the council has more class than their football team! (sorry, Midlands family are Villa fans and I couldn't resist the dig).

patman99

Clocks are not needed in Essex. They must just be used in certain areas.

Coupon-mad

patman99 wrote: »

Clocks are not needed in Essex. They must just be used in certain areas.

Shadduuppppp! Surely some of the TOWIE 'actors' can tell the time?

Torry_Quine

My relative has a blue badge issued in Scotland a couple of years ago and had a clock with it.

Horseunderwater

Torry_Quine wrote: »

My relative has a blue badge issued in Scotland a couple of years ago and had a clock with it.

Was always under impression that everyone got a clock regardless - no matter which country in the UK we belong to.
Clocks are meant to be used on double yellows and disabled bays out on the streets or council type car parks. Not needed in shopping car parks, but I always pop mine on dash to be helpful. However, there are some counties where you need to have another badge issued by that authority for it to be legal. Mine is for Cambs in general, but I think I am not able to use it in Peterborough for some reason. Would need to get book out of my car to check. But I do like the fact that I can go over bridge crossings with it. Not that I need to.

Stephen_Leak

Coupon-mad wrote: »

Shadduuppppp! Surely some of the TOWIE 'actors' can tell the time?

If you ask someone the time in Essex, do they just drawl, "Whenever"?

My mum got one of those clocks with her "Blue Badge". She sent it back, because it wasn't working.

amd

Torry_Quine wrote: »

My relative has a blue badge issued in Scotland a couple of years ago and had a clock with it.

We use our badge a lot as my mum has early stage dementia and is always wanting to go out for a run in the car (not PC I know, but I can't exactly reason with her). In order to save my own sanity I try to go somewhere new if at all possible and in all my wanderings I've never come across anywhere in Scotland requiring a clock. They don't happen to live somewhere really busy or touristy do they?


From the Scottish Gov website:

http://www.directscot.org/article/DSContent_42

"Regional variations

While the scheme operates throughout the UK, there are variations in its application in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
In Scotland and Northern Ireland, there is no time restriction on parking for Blue Badge holders, unless local restrictions apply.

In England and Wales you will need a parking clock which must be displayed when you are parking on yellow lines or in a Blue Badge parking bay that has a time limit. In both cases, you should set the clock to show the quarter hour period during which the period of exempted waiting began and display it next to your badge on the dashboard.

Badge holders living in Scotland who intend to visit England or Wales should apply to their Local Authority for the loan of a parking clock which can be used for the duration of their stay in England and Wales."

This is taken from the new 'Rights and Responsibilities' booklet issued with the new 'photo' badges from the start of this year, I believe. From this it looks like I'd have had to ask for a clock.