Hospital charges for blue badge parking

rockingbilly

50Twuncle wrote: »

My reasoning is that blue badge holders TEND to be disabled and also TEND to have more annual hospital visits than non-blue badge holders.....
and this extra £4.50 per day TAX is too much for many people to afford - especially when the bus service is non-existent and taxi fares are prohibitive


I speak as a disabled person who regularly has to visit the hospital (3 times a week last year for physiotherapy)
And season tickets are not available
Also - I may not be on the breadline - but earn less than £12k pa

But there are many more that work full time, have a BB and earn in excess of £50,000 a year and require regular hospital appointments.
Having a BB means absolutely nothing other than you have difficulty walking a given distance. Or are you suggesting that a BB should be issued to those on a low income and an orange one for those on a much higher income? And only the blue badge holders get free parking, the rest have to pay?

tomtom256

rockingbilly wrote: »

But there are many more that work full time, have a BB and earn in excess of £50,000 a year and require regular hospital appointments.
Having a BB means absolutely nothing other than you have difficulty walking a given distance. Or are you suggesting that a BB should be issued to those on a low income and an orange one for those on a much higher income? And only the blue badge holders get free parking, the rest have to pay?

Can you back this up? Many disabled people earning £50k plus a year?

mumps

50Twuncle wrote: »

The car park has 800 spaces and is designed for patients - NOT the 2000 staff at the hospital
if 2000 staff use it - where are patients supposed to park ?
and yes staff should pay the same as patients...
it is £16 for 24 hours parking - which is way too much for staff and patients

If its for patients why are they providing parking for staff? That doesn't make sense.

Patients aren't going to be there for 40 hrs a week 46 weeks a year. If you don't want to pay for parking like everyone else then use public transport, get someone to give you a lift, get a taxi, enquire about hospital transport.

You do realise there are lots of sick people who don't have a blue badge so why should you get free parking?

mumps

50Twuncle wrote: »

My reasoning is that blue badge holders TEND to be disabled and also TEND to have more annual hospital visits than non-blue badge holders.....
and this extra £4.50 per day TAX is too much for many people to afford - especially when the bus service is non-existent and taxi fares are prohibitive


I speak as a disabled person who regularly has to visit the hospital (3 times a week last year for physiotherapy)
And season tickets are not available
Also - I may not be on the breadline - but earn less than £12k pa

My husband has a blue badge, I can't remember when he last had a hospital appointment but it was years ago. I don't have a blue badge and have been an in patient twice in the last year with appointments before/after.

Not all hospital staff are on CEO payrates, no all disabled people are on low pay.

50Twuncle

tomtom256 wrote: »

Can you back this up? Many disabled people earning £50k plus a year?

mumps wrote: »

If its for patients why are they providing parking for staff? That doesn't make sense.

Patients aren't going to be there for 40 hrs a week 46 weeks a year. If you don't want to pay for parking like everyone else then use public transport, get someone to give you a lift, get a taxi, enquire about hospital transport.

You do realise there are lots of sick people who don't have a blue badge so why should you get free parking?

Staff can.park for free in the new carpark
Buses non existent
Taxis too expensive
Hospital transport - what is that ?

Bogalot

50Twuncle wrote: »

Staff can.park for free in the new carpark
Buses non existent
Taxis too expensive
Hospital transport - what is that ?

So why do you think you get free parking, and not all the other patients?

(And where is this hospital with no public transport?)

unforeseen

Bogalot wrote: »

(And where is this hospital with no public transport?)

You need to give him your phone number before he tells you. I'm still waiting although I asked for the trust rather than a specific hospital within it.

mumps

50Twuncle wrote: »

Staff can.park for free in the new carpark
Buses non existent
Taxis too expensive
Hospital transport - what is that ?

Hospital transport is available at my local hospital, sort of minibus that collects people - usually disabled or elderly from what I've seen, and there are volunteer drivers who transport people in their cars.

I thought you said the staff paid a reduced amount? Credit to the hospital if it is free, looking after valuable staff is a great policy.

mumps

rockingbilly wrote: »

That says 'should' and not 'must'.

Our hospital has always charged for everyone, currently £4.20 an hour. The concession given to BB holders is that the parking bays are wider and nearer to the hospital entrances.

To be honest why should those with a BB get free or reduced parking anyhow. It's not as though they are all on the breadline..

For regular visitors you can buy a season ticket for a year which works out cheaper.

The bit in bold is certainly the bit that matters to my husband.

rockingbilly

tomtom256 wrote: »

Can you back this up? Many disabled people earning £50k plus a year?

I don't have to back it up just as the other poster can't back up that most BB holders are on a low income.For one I did when I first became disabled. - I was earning in excess £50,000 a year. Getting a BB is not in any way related to what your income is or your capital wealth.
To argue that the majority of BB holder tend to be on low income is ridiculous. Many work in full time jobs earning a good income and have a BB. I am aware of a senior police officer that had to come off front line work due to a work related disability. He still receives a substantial salary/pension and continues to work over full time and he has a BB.
Even my father who was in receipt of quite a largish pension had a BB and I won't even go into what is capital wealth was