Hospital charges for blue badge parking

50Twuncle

OK have heard back from the hospital
NO hospital patient transport is available - they can supply a list of taxi services on request !!
A taxi from my home (4 miles to and from the hospital cosrs around £12) !!

tomtom256

rockingbilly wrote: »

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

So just your opinion then and not fact.

50Twuncle

Does it matter what your income is ?
DLA /pip /blue badges are supposed to bring you back up to 'match' a non - disabled person...

Cyclamen

I was told that one of the reasons free parking for blue badges came was about due to inaccessible ticket machines. e.g. they were often up curbs, at a height for a standing person to see displays and insert coins etc. Depending on a persons disability some could not operate the machine so free parking solved the problem. Town centres and locations may not be as accessible, health unpredictable, walking pace/rest breaks etc so it was and is also very tricky to estimate how long to park for and nipping back to add another ticket is a challenge when walking is wobbly etc.

If you are on a low-income or certain benefits you may be eligible for help with travel costs to the hospital. I'm not very sure on the regulations though.

Sadly our local hospital has cut its 'taxi bus' service.. it was too expensive but meant anyone could get picked up by minibus as long as you pre-booked and the route was different each time. We still paid but it was far more affordable than a taxi and the staff were great with wheelchairs, wobbly walkers etc. On many journeys home we shared the burse with hospital staff who used the taxi-bus as cheaper than the car park for them.

Blue badge at our hospital receive free parking..but there are also concessions for patients and visitors on certain long term wards or clinics needing frequent visits. Week parking tickets can be purchased too. I think its just the 'one-off' visits that have the very high parking prices.

custardy

50Twuncle wrote: »

Does it matter what your income is ?
DLA /pip /blue badges are supposed to bring you back up to 'match' a non - disabled person...

In which case. Paying for parking is the norm.
Well done in debunking your own point.

50Twuncle

custardy wrote: »

In which case. Paying for parking is the norm.
Well done in debunking your own point.

I know that you "consider yourself" disabled but are you actually a "Blue badge holder" and user or are you just doing an impression of an annoying little character who sits under bridges and pops his head out whenever the billy goats gruff try to cross ?

Bogalot

custardy wrote: »

In which case. Paying for parking is the norm.
Well done in debunking your own point.

Spot on.

And I'll ask again, why OP do you think you should get free parking when other patients do not? What makes you different to all the others that have to drive to the hospital, because due to its location (Narnia?) no other transport options are available?

50Twuncle

Bogalot wrote: »

Spot on.
And I'll ask again, why OP do you think you should get free parking when other patients do not? What makes you different to all the others that have to drive to the hospital, because due to its location (Narnia?) no other transport options are available?

Right - "drive to the hospital" is the easy bit...
No other transport is available (buses are non-existent as is hospital patient transport and taxis are even more expensive than paying for parking.)
Why should a non-disabled person have the ability to walk when and where they like ?
Poor mobility limits me to where I can walk - I take 15 minutes to walk from the car to the hospital main entrance and that is if I am able to walk at all !!
Accessibility I guess !
Be aware that my car is my own purchase - not a Motability vehicle

mrcol1000

Bogalot wrote: »

Spot on.

And I'll ask again, why OP do you think you should get free parking when other patients do not? What makes you different to all the others that have to drive to the hospital, because due to its location (Narnia?) no other transport options are available?

Its very easy to make this statements when you can use other forms of transport. However when you are disabled to the point that you can't leave the house unless its in your car, you have no other option. You also tend to have to visit the hospital more when you are ill then when you are fit and healthy.

The truth is that blue badges are given out far too easily. Therefore the ones who genuinely need one are the ones who suffer as their use is restricted due to the widespread use of them.

custardy

50Twuncle wrote: »

I know that you "consider yourself" disabled but are you actually a "Blue badge holder" and user or are you just doing an impression of an annoying little character who sits under bridges and pops his head out whenever the billy goats gruff try to cross ?

Nope,very lucky at this stage in life to be nowhere near the requirement.
Its good you feel being a blue badge holder gives you the right to throw out insults though. I didnt realise only blue badge holders could reply here?
Personally I'm thinking your meds need looked at given the tone and juxtaposition of some of your posts.