News

Council agrees changes to blue badge parking

By Tim Harris
December 22, 2011

DISABLED people around Aldershot and Farnborough will have to pay for parking in the New Year after the council agreed changes to the blue badge scheme.

Rushmoor Borough Council approved plans to make disabled people pay full fees to park in council car parks from January, if they are not automatically entitled to their blue badge.

These long-debated changes were opposed by disabled residents, with some branding it “unquestionably discriminatory".

Keith Jeffery, 78, from Cove, suffers from Myasthenia Gravis (MG), which is a neurological disease affecting the voluntary muscles.

He said: “I suffer from a severe disability but I generally look quite fit and healthy.

"Had I been struck down with the disease a few years earlier I would have qualified for the higher rate mobility element of the Disability Living Allowance.

“But as I was over 65 when it struck, I do not qualify for it, so I will not qualify for free parking under the scheme.

“It is unquestionably discriminatory in as much as it treats under-65s and over-65s with identical disabilities differently - with one group receiving free parking and the other group having to pay.

“I fail to see how that can possibly be justified by anybody, let alone a public authority.”

Previously, all blue badge holders could park for free in Rushmoor Borough Council car parks, but these new changes mean only those automatically entitled to a badge can still do so.

The council has insisted the change was necessary to help tackle what it believes to be prolific abuse of the blue badge scheme.

Councillor Roland Dibbs, deputy leader, said: “I first initiated this movement three years ago as a result of receiving complaints and calls from several disabled persons, who said they thought that everybody should pay [for parking] to try and cut down on abuse by blue badge holders.

“One form of misuse is blue badge holders lend them to other persons when they go shopping.

“The second form is counterfeit blue badges. The third abuse is people using blue badges who are not disabled at all.”

Rushmoor Borough Council will review the scheme in six months, but some councillors believe nothing will change when this happens.

“Once the charges are there, there is no way they are going to change them,” said Cllr Steve Smith, who defected from the Conservative party earlier this year to join UKIP.

“It is all good saying they are going to review them in six months, but it will not happen. Once it is done it is done.”

While there has been opposition to the blue badge scheme being changed, Andrew Lloyd, chief executive of Rushmoor Borough Council, believes it needs time to be tested.

He said: “Six months isn't actually that long, and I think it gives enough time to see how it works in practice.

“I think whatever we do it is always going to be difficult in a sense that it will please some and not others.”

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Having read all the postings so far, I remain confused as to how the parking enforcers will be able to tell whether the blue badge is elgible for free parking.

One respondent has stated that all badges look alike whilst another said that the tax disc of "automatically eligible" disabled are marked accordingly.

I sometimes take my "automatically eligible" neighbour (apologies to him and to all for such a term) into Aldershot when he is not feeling well enough to drive himself.

He places his blue badge on the dashboard and all has been well so far.

Does this change mean that we will no longer be able to benefit from his "free" (remembering that an element of the annual badge charge is for parking) parking under such circumstances?

Remember it is the person who qualifies for a blue badge not the car.

It is rather telling that there has been no comment from RBC to these postings which reflects their general level of interest in the disabled communities they purport to serve - let along the impact upon the footfall in, and profitability of, the town centres.

Whilst nearby Hart was voted as the "best place in England to live in" in a recent survey by the Halifax, we can remain confident that such an accolade will continue to evade Aldershot's grasp when the image associated with RBC's parsimony and greed pertains.

Retired of Aldershot, Aldershot
26/12/2011 at 10:27

The High Street car park is never full because the charges are much too high. If the charges were reduced more people would use it, there would be less congestion in the town and more income for the council.

alderhete, Aldershot
23/12/2011 at 19:52

Greed, Greed, Greed. This is what Rushmoor Council is becoming known for, they say blue badges are being abused, I have never ever seen a parking attendant challenge an abuser of the scheme (and there are many) all blue badge holders have thier photograph on the reverse of the badge, so how is it difficult to monitor? will shortly be moving from this sorry town, where councillors just don't have a clue about the real world, just like thier peers up in London.

Dougal, Aldershot
23/12/2011 at 12:22

Just been on Hampshire County Council web site and if you all look at following:- http://www3.hants.gov.uk/bluebadge/bluebadge-apply.htm

You will find that disabled allready pay for the blue badge and parking and note this goes up in april 2012 so how many that don't qualify for free parking in Rushmoor are going to pay for this?

More money for Hampshire county council to loose and then how are they going to make this money up? maybe by putting parking prices up for all ?

Aldershot Born
23/12/2011 at 10:21

I wonder if the council will be charging all of those cars that park for free outside of council HQ? Mmm Thought not! Councillor Roland Dibbs "several"? Tell me do you expend the same amount of energy and motivation when dozens complain about other parking issues affecting their local community.......??

Another fine Rushmoor Council decision that does not make sense, is this chamber really fit for purpose in serving the needs and will of the residents of Rushmoor? I wonder?

NC1
23/12/2011 at 06:50

Glad to see some sense! I'm all for disabled drivers being allocated preferential parking spaces to avoid long and unmanageable trips, but free parking! Well done Rushmoor BC for addressing one of lifes bizarre disparities.

Aldershot Flyer
22/12/2011 at 22:02

Just another move to drive more people out of Aldershot town centre by a bunch of people who haven’t a clue.

Dawi, Aldershot
22/12/2011 at 20:03

It shows on the badge - they can tell by the car tax of the vehicle because if you get disabled tax on tax disc then the Blue Badge in the vehicle is automatic if that makes sense! so I have been told.

Aldershot Born
22/12/2011 at 18:28

I am fortunately able bodied and do not know the differences between those who are automatically entitled to a badge and those who are not.

But if as commented by"milly" they are all the same, I wonder that RBC did not decide to charge all.

RBC spent a fortune recently installing pay meters in areas that were previously "free" and now, with several disabled parking areas away from meters, will doubtless spend much installing more meters.

I am thinking of those in Short Street and elsewhere in Aldershot.

Will we witness the unedifying sight of those disabled, but not disabled enough to warrant an automatic badge, struggling down the road to find a meter and then returning to place the ticket?

Will they be another group of targets for the ever vigilant traffic wardens or CCTV cameras waiting to pounce on those who take more than a few nano seconds to buy and display their tickets?

I am all for reducing the fraud and "card borrowing" that goes on and have seen many almost sprint from car to shop but I am not sure that a generic ban on free parking for all but the most disabled is the best way forward.

What discussions have been held with HCC about revisiting those who receive badges and verifying that they are still justified?

Given the greedy nature and visitor hostile of RBC's parking policy (14 hours per day, 7 days a week) they have found yet another way to alienate another source of high street revenue - but increase their own.

How this decision sits with Mary Portus observations and government sponsored recommendations of restoring the high street footfall I cannot guess.

Why not try shop rates based on turnover not nominal (i.e.inflated) rent?

I know that once implemented it will not return - RBC's capability in learning is the at the same zero level as trying to promote full shops by charging for everything that moves (or more correctly every thing that does not move i.e. cars in Aldershot) - and then some.

With Aldershot suffering (like many other high streets I know) from empty shops, shops under threat from national retail failures, a plethora of down market and charity shops and, as stated in the recently published HCC access plan, Aldershot has no major "anchor" store, this change to parking charges is not the best move to improve Aldershot's image as a "preferred town" to shop.

I just wonder what cost benefit analysis was undertaken prior to RBC's decision.