Blue Badge parking charges

[Deleted User]

Has anyone else noticed that increasing numbers of car parks (council as well as private) have stopped offering blue badge holders free parking

Instead,offering perhaps 4 hours for the price of 2 hours ?

Nannytone

I have  a blue badge and gave never understood why parking is free in any car park.

The idea is to give larger, more convenient parking spaces , not free parking.

All var parks in my local authoruty are free for everyone

CosmoChic

Pretty much what @Nannytone says i.e. I've never understood the purpose of the Blue Badge to be free parking, rather it's about accessible parking.  

turnitround

Im always confused by it as well, why should the parking be free.
Hubby has a blue badge and there are several car parks in our area where parking is free with a badge as long as you are parked in a marked disabled place but if those spaces are all full and you park in a normal space you have to pay. 

Cant see the point of that at all.

Spoonie_Turtle

There are a few factors here I can think of:

Needing to spend longer wherever it is than nondisabled people, because we walk slower or need frequent rest stops, etc.  (Doesn't apply to all disabled people of course, but then nothing is universally true of all disabled or all nondisabled people.)

If we don't have the option to not drive, we're not penalised by having to pay for parking where nondisabled people who could walk or take public transport wouldn't have to (public transport usually has fares for nondisabled people, yes, but the return fare is the same if you spend 15 minutes or 5 hours at the place, whereas parking is almost always dependent on length of stay).

In places where there are premium rates for parking closer to the attraction, having free parking means we are not penalised for not having the choice to park further away.  (One could argue make it the same as the cheapest parking, but often the cheapest option *is* free, if you can park far enough away!)

It may also be based on acknowledging that many disabled people can't work so live on a limited income that they have no chance of increasing.  Again, not the case for all but isn't it better to help those who need it and risk accidentally helping those who don't, than to ensure nobody gets help they don't need by not helping anyone.


If Blue Badge holders feel strongly that they don't need the financial help of free parking, I'm sure they could always buy a ticket to pay for their parking anyway

turnitround said:

… there are several car parks in our area where parking is free with a badge as long as you are parked in a marked disabled place but if those spaces are all full and you park in a normal space you have to pay. 

Cant see the point of that at all.

I agree that is silly.  Either make Blue Badge parking free or don't, just make sure only people with a BB park in the bays.

chrisw

I struggled to find an empty disabled bay in a car park recently where disabled had to pay.

I mentioned it to the car park attendant and he told me to park on the double yelllow lines just outside the car park which meant I also didnt have to pay..So I've parked on yellow lines rather than use a car park on a few occasions since.

Carrot007

chrisw said:

I struggled to find an empty disabled bay in a car park recently where disabled had to pay.

I mentioned it to the car park attendant and he told me to park on the double yelllow lines just outside the car park which meant I also didnt have to pay..So I've parked on yellow lines rather than use a car park on a few occasions since.

Indeed, though in many places we need double reds to stop this. So far they tend not to but I have seen some bad disabled parking on double yellows.

Not saying you do just that double red need using where applicable.

But then again people park on an entrance and opposite it which is also clearly an offence even without lines.

RobinHill

Spoonie_Turtle: Well explained, thank you. The comment from Nannytone et al just demonstrates astonishing ignorance.

CosmoChic

RobinHill said:

Spoonie_Turtle: Well explained, thank you. The comment from Nannytone et al just demonstrates astonishing ignorance.

As an "et al" I would ask the question:  is paying for parking fees not an expected/appropriate way in which to use the mobility payment we receive?  

pogofish

Deleted_User said:

Has anyone else noticed that increasing numbers of car parks (council as well as private) have stopped offering blue badge holders free parking

Instead,offering perhaps 4 hours for the price of 2 hours ?

The Blue Badge legislation does not make any requirement to charge, or not to charge.  That decision is left entirely to the individual local authority.

The only stipulation is that if any charge is made, it cannot exceed the amount an able bodied driver would pay for the same period.

So your observation probably comes down to the usual reasons for why councils want to take money off people, not any disability-related matter.

Also, when it comes to private car parks, the Blue Badge legislation does not apply at all - its the Equality Act that matters here, despite the PPC's attempts to pretend otherwise.

gbhxu

 just make sure only people with a BB park in the bays.

Trouble is that it's often that the Blue Badge holder stays in the vehicle while their able bodied partner goes shopping, etc.