Free blue badge hospital parking in doubt

Barny1979

pogofish said:

Also, the reason many people assume Blue Badge parking is free is because some large local authorities chose to make it so for legally regulated/on-street parking in their areas.

The Blue Badge legislation however made no requirement for charging either way and left that entirely up to the local authorities who operated the scheme. The only stipulation was that if any charge was made, it could not exceed the equivalent charge for an able-bodied driver for the same period.

All on-street charging is free for Blue Badge holders, the legislation doesn't allow a BB holder to be required to pay, though some Local Authorities do charge BB Holders for parking on off-street car parks that they operate.

pogofish

Spoonie_Turtle said:

That's very interesting. I would imagine most disabled people don't know that. 

I'd never considered using the Equality Act to be entitled to park near the entrances of places before I had my Blue Badge,

They don’t. This is why a prompt complaint to PALS is invariably the first thing the Parking Tickets Board here advises for people with a BB who have been hit with tickets at hospitals. Most have completely missed that option and engaged with the private parking company “appeals process” instead - and in most cases gone about it the wrong way, using mitigation, which the PPC/POPLA/IAS won’t normally consider. It is usually only people who have left it too far down the PPC “appeal” route or who are at the debt collector stage who can have problems getting PALS to intervene. In virtually all cases where a complaint to PALS is lodged promptly - ideally within 48hrs (which also discharges the responsibility to inform under the act) , the outcome is positive.

Yes, I only discovered this when my Arthritis turned severe and my surgeons assurance that I didn’t need to apply for a badge because I’d be operated-on within a few months and my prognosis was very good, turned into a three year wait for the first of ultimately three operations!  First my work offered to whitelist me (they have since introduced an EA permit) then on request, the shops I used most often did the same, so I managed the whole period without a badge and thankfully I’ve recovered well enough that I still don’t need one.

I also hold confirmation of the primacy of the EA in private parking from EHRC in Scotland and another poster here has obtained similar confirmation for England and Wales, so whatever a PPC thinks it can stick in its contract, well frankly, they can shove-it!

Emmia

Barny1979 said:

pogofish said:

Also, the reason many people assume Blue Badge parking is free is because some large local authorities chose to make it so for legally regulated/on-street parking in their areas.

The Blue Badge legislation however made no requirement for charging either way and left that entirely up to the local authorities who operated the scheme. The only stipulation was that if any charge was made, it could not exceed the equivalent charge for an able-bodied driver for the same period.

All on-street charging is free for Blue Badge holders, the legislation doesn't allow a BB holder to be required to pay, though some Local Authorities do charge BB Holders for parking on off-street car parks that they operate.

Blue Badge holders can also park on double yellow lines, provided that they don't cause an obstruction.

MalMonroe

Nannytone said:

I've never understood why people expect disabled parking to be free

Maybe because a lot of disabled people can't work and earn large salaries? Also, what a harsh comment. 

MalMonroe

KxMx said:

My opinion is never popular with drivers but our household has never had a car (not enough money) and always had to manage without.  It can be done and is done by a lot more households than just us. 

Both household members have long term illnesses/disability, one works ft, frequent medical appointments (including a few too many early morning A&E trips just recently), an elderly relative living just 20 mins away but poor public transport there. 

Managing has included moving to a town with more frequent buses. When we moved we chose an area where there was one direct bus route and two nearby. It would have been super unlikely for all routes to be cancelled and one is sponsored by a supermarket. Managing has also included limiting work search to bus route areas. Keeping a healthy emergency taxi fund despite being a low income household. 

Having a car enables choice. When you don't have that choice you make decisions based on need. I would dearly love to return to rural living but it is just not practical or possible, I have to instead make do with a suburb which does have lots of green! For a carless household rural living is usually a want/ luxury and not a need. 

Of course a household living in the middle of nowhere, no buses and working a typical hours is going to say they couldn't manage without a car. They couldn't maintain their current lifestyle without one. That car has enabled every one of those choices. But there are households like mine who never had that enabling factor and manage simply because they have to.

BTW it's been very difficult during the pandemic, real worry over access to food at the beginning, no test when one was needed (postal kit never arrived), being stuck within a 6 street radius (for exercise) for months. But we have survived. 

Good for you. But this doesn't answer the OP's question as it is just a glowing self-report. aka not very helpful at all. 

Barny1979

Emmia said:

Barny1979 said:

pogofish said:

Also, the reason many people assume Blue Badge parking is free is because some large local authorities chose to make it so for legally regulated/on-street parking in their areas.

The Blue Badge legislation however made no requirement for charging either way and left that entirely up to the local authorities who operated the scheme. The only stipulation was that if any charge was made, it could not exceed the equivalent charge for an able-bodied driver for the same period.

All on-street charging is free for Blue Badge holders, the legislation doesn't allow a BB holder to be required to pay, though some Local Authorities do charge BB Holders for parking on off-street car parks that they operate.

Blue Badge holders can also park on double yellow lines, provided that they don't cause an obstruction.

Only up to a maximum of 3 hours.

unforeseen

MalMonroe said:

Nannytone said:

I've never understood why people expect disabled parking to be free

Maybe because a lot of disabled people can't work and earn large salaries? Also, what a harsh comment. 

And there are a hell of a lot more people who cannot work for reasons that don't class them as disabled as well. They have to pay. 

50Twuncle

50Twuncle said:

It looks as if the government is going to breaki its promise to provide free blue badge parking.........they are definitely going to continue to charge staff and probably blue badge holders as well

https://mol.im/a/8501251#i-27388e9dd596b5c4

I was wrong - free blue badge hospital parking IS / has gone as planned !

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/free-hospital-parking-for-thousands-of-patients-staff-and-carers

born_again

MalMonroe said:

Nannytone said:

I've never understood why people expect disabled parking to be free

Maybe because a lot of disabled people can't work and earn large salaries? Also, what a harsh comment. 

Well I took early retirement and we survive on PIP & Carers. OK we have a bit of savings to play with. But I'm more than happy to pay for parking even with a blue badge.
Do not think the post was harsh either, many do seem to think BB = Free parking (seen people driving expensive and not available via motorbility cars moaning about having to pay. Clearly if you can afford a £50k+ car you can afford a couple of quid for parking) as well as the ability to park anywhere they like even if it causes issues for other road users.

Spoonie_Turtle

born_again said:

MalMonroe said:

Nannytone said:

I've never understood why people expect disabled parking to be free

Maybe because a lot of disabled people can't work and earn large salaries? Also, what a harsh comment. 

Well I took early retirement and we survive on PIP & Carers. OK we have a bit of savings to play with. But I'm more than happy to pay for parking even with a blue badge.
Do not think the post was harsh either, many do seem to think BB = Free parking (seen people driving expensive and not available via motorbility cars moaning about having to pay. Clearly if you can afford a £50k+ car you can afford a couple of quid for parking) as well as the ability to park anywhere they like even if it causes issues for other road users.

That's not too common around our way, but a fair point (though perhaps they used some kind of windfall to buy the car - but one could argue if you'd struggle to pay parking afterwards then perhaps that kind of expensive car wasn't the best idea).

A Blue Badge is NOT license to park just anywhere. All the info online and in the booklet that comes with it explicitly states that one must park considerately and not cause issues for other road users - and they can take the Blue Badge away if you do so. I'm not doubting you've seen irresponsible parking, because we all know rules are not always enforced, but it's definitely not a BB perk to park irresponsibly.