PCN for not displaying my blue badge in a private car park.

TezClark

I am being chased for a parking fine given to me a while ago from UKCPS LTD , I tried to tell them I had a blue badge but on this occasion I had forgotten to display and told them I suffered with brain fog and had just changed some medication and also had a lot of pain that day so I wasn’t at my best but needed to go to the shops . 

They wasn’t interested in my plea and carried in with further action, I had replied to the letters regarding court and today I have had mediation with a mediator supplied by gov.uk . 

I explained the equality act 2010 that doesn't mean I am under any obligation to display my blue badge in a private free to park car park. On this occasion it just slipped my mind due to other issues I was dealing with that day. 

I was also using the facilities that the car park is there for and it is a free to park car park. 

The mediator told the other side what I had said and they said how re they supposed to know I have a blue badge or that I’m disabled if I don’t display it so they say the badge has to be displayed to prevent tickets being given. 

All their letters and harassment has caused me more mental illness and I am very anxious especially when I park there now, and keep wondering if I’ve displayed my badge and even sometimes don’t use the disabled bays because of this, which causes me more pain and discomfort if I have to struggle to get in or out of my car in smaller spaced bays. 

They say they will take it to court so I’m now worried again as they say I owe them over 200 pounds and I am on benefits that I can’t afford to lose that kind of money to these robbers . 

Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks 

Fruitcake

It is not a fine. 

The Equality Act 2010 is quite clear. It requires service providers to "anticipate the needs of people with protected characteristics." This includes disabled persons whose cognitive function is affected by their disability. In other words, they are required by law to anticipate the fact that people with disabilities will park in an accessible parking bay, and they are required by law to anticipate that some people with a cognitive disability will forget to display a blue badge. 
Failure to anticipate the needs of such a person is a breach of the Equality Act, and a criminal offence. They don't need to know if a person is disabled if they don't display a blue badge; they are required by law to anticipate the fact that they have a disability.

In any case, the blue badge scheme does not apply on private land, therefore forcing someone to display a badge that does not apply is an unfair contract term, and a breach of the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

How did you get on with complaints to the landowner and your MP? 

Coupon-mad

Stay confident. No worries. Carry on and it is very likely Moorside Legal will discontinue the claim before the hearing in 2026 anyway.