Blue Badge - Reduced Tax???

kingfisherblue

kurgon wrote: »

Actually, with the new blue badges you can't use it either. Only the driver can park in a disabled bay using a blue badge. You would be expected to drop off and park in a normal bay.

So, as the blue badge belongs to my son, I would be expected to drop him off, then go and park? Even though he cannot drive? (he is 14, but he will never be able to learn to drive, so will always be reliant on somebody else).

Can you explain how this would be safe for my disabled son? He has no sense of danger and would quite happily approach a stranger, not to mention the distress he would feel if I left him alone and drove off.

There is a poster on here who has a baby daughter, still less than a year old. She has a blue badge because she has to transport the baby's oxygen. When shopping, or taking her child for a hospital appointment, would you expect her to leave her baby in the pram at the side of the car park whilst she drove off to find a parking space? At Alder Hey, where my son goes, it can take up to an hour to find a space :eek:.

I've never heard such drivel in my life.

pogofish

CouponWoman wrote: »

I think this is to stop the driver dropping a passenger at a supermarket for example and then staying in the car while the passenger does the shopping.

I see it all the time, a car in a disabled bay and the driver sat reading a paper, or as I saw yesterday, having a sleep. Eventually his wife came out with a trolley of shopping and woke him up.

CWxx

What on earth are you on about?

The BB scheme does not apply in the vast majority of supermarket car parks.

kurgon

I don't have to explain anything! I think they stopped shooting the messenger in the 1800s...
Exact wording from the new advice booklets:
"If you are a passenger then a non disabled person can use it to drop you off or pick you up. Once assisted to your destination, you should remove your badge from the vehicle and the driver should make an appropriate parking payment or move the vehicle."

Mojisola

kurgon wrote: »

I don't have to explain anything! I think they stopped shooting the messenger in the 1800s...
Exact wording from the new advice booklets:
"If you are a passenger then a non disabled person can use it to drop you off or pick you up. Once assisted to your destination, you should remove your badge from the vehicle and the driver should make an appropriate parking payment or move the vehicle."

"Should" rather than "must".

If the person with the BB is otherwise a fit and competent adult, that might work. If that person is a child, someone likely to have falls, wander off, etc, it's not feasible.

Rodders53

L0RRY wrote: »

havent seen it for myself but kurgon may be right

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=55363623&postcount=12

Nor have I and until the direct.gov page reflects the quoted text we only have anecdotal/hearsay evidence of such a change (which is a daft, unrealistic change anyway as many disabled passengers will need care/assistance - usually from the driver - after alighting from a vehicle anyway).

Perhaps it's a local council thing? as the BB scheme really only relates to on-street parking, not car parks (whoever runs them sets the rules)? Oh and the rules (no doubt) differ, subtly, between the Nations in this dis-United Kingdom of ours

Admittedly the pdf (for England) is dated 2007 and may have been updated, but that's the copy we have so the one we'll abide by.

One last thing: this is all off the topic that started the thread... perhaps we should not continue this here but in that other, linked thread?

Mrs_Arcanum

kurgon wrote: »

I don't have to explain anything! I think they stopped shooting the messenger in the 1800s...
Exact wording from the new advice booklets:
"If you are a passenger then a non disabled person can use it to drop you off or pick you up. Once assisted to your destination, you should remove your badge from the vehicle and the driver should make an appropriate parking payment or move the vehicle."

Taken from the wording issued to Blue Badge holders on Direct Gov (PDF)

The badge is for your use and benefit
only. It must only be displayed if you are
travelling in the vehicle as a driver or
passenger, or if someone is collecting you
or dropping you off and needs to park at
the place where you are being collected
or dropped.
Do not allow other people to use the badge
to do something on your behalf, such as
shopping or collecting something for you,
unless you are travelling with them.
You must never give the badge to friends
or family to allow them to park for free,
even if they are visiting you.
You should not use the badge to allow
non-disabled people to take advantage
of the benefits while you sit in the
car. Although it is not illegal for a badge
holder, or a non-disabled person waiting
for the badge holder to return, to remain
in the vehicle while the Blue Badge is
displayed, consideration should be given
to using a car park whenever possible.

Only addition by me is the underlining.

Be_Happy

kurgon wrote: »

I don't have to explain anything! I think they stopped shooting the messenger in the 1800s...
Exact wording from the new advice booklets:
"If you are a passenger then a non disabled person can use it to drop you off or pick you up. Once assisted to your destination, you should remove your badge from the vehicle and the driver should make an appropriate parking payment or move the vehicle."

While this thread has gone well off topic, I feel I must jump in to support kurgon.

As said in my previous thread this is an exact quote from the revised 2012 edition of the Blue Badge Guide Booklet issued when you get a Blue Badge, or renew a Blue Badge. There is nothing 'hearsay' or 'anecdotal' about it. There have been various times when the Government web-sites take time to be updated with current information.

As I said previously, this can obviously not apply when the disabled person can not be left alone, but that is the booklet wording. Since blue badges are usually renewed every 3 years, it will take another couple of years before every user has a copy of the revised booklet.

Anyway, sorry OP for posting off-topic on your thread.

kurgon

So back on topic - no, you will not be unable to get tax exemption on your vehicle and, following the new guidance which will be sent to you for a new application, neither will you (apparently) be able to park in the blue badge bays as the driver. This was the main reason that I pointed out the changes. I was actually trying to be helpful and did not actually pass the new laws myself, nor do I support them, despite the ill-conceived comments above.

janninew

Mojisola wrote: »

"Should" rather than "must".

If the person with the BB is otherwise a fit and competent adult, that might work. If that person is a child, someone likely to have falls, wander off, etc, it's not feasible.

I hope that some common sense will be used! Surely this rule can't be applied for parents who have disabled children/babies?! I can't drop my 8 month old daughter off and then park up!

Mojisola

janninew wrote: »

I hope that some common sense will be used! Surely this rule can't be applied for parents who have disabled children/babies?! I can't drop my 8 month old daughter off and then park up!

And at the other end of the age range - I couldn't drop off my mother who had dementia as well as other health problems. Heavens knows where she would have ended up if I'd gone off to park elsewhere!