News

Appeal against blue badge charges fails

By Tim Harris
February 21, 2013

AN appeal to put a stop to charging disabled drivers to park in Aldershot and Farnborough has failed.

Rushmoor Borough Council’s environment panel threw out a request to review the controversial blue badge parking scheme on Tuesday, February 19.

The changes to the scheme were introduced last April, meaning disabled residents had to pay full fees to use the car parks if they were not automatically entitled to a badge. Before this no blue badge holder had to pay.

Impact on parking revenue questioned
Blue badge decision called in for review
Council agrees blue badge changes
Disabled parking debate under way

Last December, the council’s cabinet approved the continuation of the scheme. This decision was “called in” by seven Rushmoor borough councillors – Keith Dibble, Alex Crawford, Jennifer Evans, Mike Roberts, Frank Rust, Barry Jones and Steve Smith – which means they asked for the decision to be reviewed before it was implemented.

The councillors deemed the scheme ‘discriminatory’ and the call-in request was billed to take place last month, but the meeting had to be cancelled because of snowy weather.

Automatic blue badge holders tend to have more severe disabilities and their badges are issued by the county council. Non-automatic blue badges are issued at the discretion of district authorities.

Addressing the environment panel this week, Cllr Smith said: “I spoke against charges for blue badge holders when it originally came in. My position hasn’t changed, if anything it as hardened. I consider the whole concept of discrimination between blue badge holders to be unfair and unjust. I am still totally against the charge.

“If you are deemed to require a blue badge surely that should be it. The degree of disability should not even come into the equation.”

Cllr Dibble said not only was the scheme unfair and discriminatory, but he also suggested it was confusing, brought in little revenue for the council and did not stop abuse, which was the council’s primary argument for introducing the blue badge charge.

The council’s head of community, Peter Amies, reiterated the reasons why charging disabled drivers to park was necessary. “The aim was to help free up disabled bays by stopping abuse,” he said. “It was certainly not a way of increasing the revenue for the council.

“The public consultation received general support from the majority of responses, including disabled and elderly residents. The trial period has proved there has been improvements around the levels and perceptions of abuse, with these reducing.”

Roland Dibbs, deputy leader of the council backed the scheme, saying: “I do not think it is unfair and I do not think it is discriminatory. I cannot get my head around why you would say it is unfair that those who receive discretionary blue badges should have to pay. The fact they have a disability does not mean they are financially disadvantaged.

Cllr Dibble argued it was not about the ability to pay, but about the fact that driving could often be the only mode of transport for some disabled residents.

The signage for the blue badge scheme was brought under scrutiny, and while it was decided the appeal against the continuation of the scheme would be ignored, the signs will be closely looked at during the next review of the scheme.

The current Rushmoor blue badge scheme will run until June, when it will be reviewed again.

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Most recent user comments 8 of 8

GetHants you need to look up the SkyNews report from Aldershot with reference to Philip Hammon: cut welfare not troops [ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/9903911/Philip-Hammond-cut-welfare-not-troops.html#comment-817764663 ]

It carries a interviews with staff and patrons (Aldershot Constituents) at the Red Lion Pub on High Street Aldershot.

Jim Barker, Manager, says while FURTHER MOD cuts are not acceptable NEITHER are the Tory CU*Ts to Welfare as there aren't any jobs for the unemployed and what are they going to live on?

Then it shows an interview with Mr Gerald Howworthless, MP for Aldershot, Outside the RBC Offices, who says we must not look inwards (at which point I LOL!!!). We need strong defence. So we must make CRUEL decisions and CUT Welfare (at which point I stopped laughing and thought what a stupid man. How did he ever get elected?)!!

So Aldershot lets make a "CRUEL" decision in May to get rid of these out of touch, citizens of la-la land, Tories.

Then come General Election make a CRUEL decision and get rid of Mr Gerald Howworthless, MP for Aldershot.

Lets follow the example of citizens of Eastleigh.

unhappy (now disgusted)
03/03/2013 at 16:16

“This scheme originated because both myself and the parking manager had received approaches from disabled persons to say we should be charging to reduce the abuse of disabled parking schemes – they were suggesting that all blue badge holders should pay.” - Roland Dibbs, deputy leader of the Council

Was the abuse predominantly due to people FRAUDULENTLY using Blue-Badges or was it predominantly due to the non-blue badged car's parking in the Blue-Badged parking bays? If it was the latter then clearly the Council's parking enforcement private Contractor was failing!

Furthermore, just exactly how many complaints had Roland Dibbs, deputy leader of the Council, and the parking manager received? Or is it like the Homophobic Tory MPs claiming receipt of letters from Constituents opposing gay marriages. Even if Mr Howarth, MP, had received a letter from EVERY single Constituent that voted for him (46.7% when the turn out was 63.5%) it still would not represent the majority view.

Typical Tory decision making - NO research/investigation just stick a finger or head up their rear and make the decision. Like their DWP and deficit reduction strategy that is actually increasing the deficit by undermining growth hence the loss of the AAA rating.

Thus I suggest those who “called in” the decision take a different tact and pursue/ensure it on the grounds that the matter was objectively processed ensuring due process was followed and natural justice is not contravened, i.e. the decision was not arbitrarily (there is a better legal wording I can't remember it now) arrived at.

unhappy (now disgusted)
26/02/2013 at 01:43

c123 "The amount of times I have seen "disabled persons" parking up in disabled bays and then almost run in to the shops never ceases to amaze me."

What you may have seen could have been an able body person abusing a disabled persons blue badge which is actually a crime.

I’ve even heard of a case of a “Care Worker” used the blue badge of a “client” at least a year after that “client” had died.

Dawi, Aldershot
22/02/2013 at 15:45

@C123 I don't know anything about this lady, but I doubt she was using the wheelchair to justify the blue badge. She's hardly trying to conceal anything from what you say and she may have a condition where muscle fatigue occurs quickly. And I'm sure we'd all agree that negotiating ASDA car park in a wheelchair would be like playing frogger. Circumstantial and sadly a typical response to an unknown set of conditions involving the disabled.

SpongeBob NoPants, Farnborough
22/02/2013 at 11:17

The same could be said to those with pushchairs or prams for kids, which time and time again i have seen many parents parking in asda car park who park in disabled spots - they have no respect about those who are worse off than themselves.

you might of seen this lady with a wheel chair, but this is one person, but their are genuine disabled people that do need these spaces, but it would be nice to find a spot vacant when you need one.

very impossible because of inconsiderate people who are to lazy to walk a little bit.

many disabled spots are acually taken up by people that are not even disabled in the first place!

PJA
22/02/2013 at 06:55

These "non-automatic blue badges" should not be issued in the first place. Only last week I witnessed a "disabled person" park in a disabled bay, get out of her car, walk quickly to the rear of her car, open her car boot and get out a heavy wheel chair, assemble this chair in no time at all, quickly walk the wheel chair to the shop front window, quickly and easliy walk back to the car, slamming and checking all the car doors and boot all with ease, and quick as you like walk over to her wheel chair, jump in and off she scoots. Now call me judgemental, if she can do this then why does she need a disabled parking slot?

The amount of times I have seen "disabled persons" parking up in disabled bays and then almost run in to the shops never ceases to amaze me. Unless you are severally disabled you should not be issued with a disabled parking permit.

c123
21/02/2013 at 17:34

Disgrace. If able bodied people want to avoid paying for their parking all they have to do is walk to town or park near it, in one of the many free to park roads. The disabled do not have this as an option. Another example of a Tory council unleashing it's nasty agenda on innocent victims of a capitalist system that keeps on feeding the rich and bleeding the poor.

SpongeBob NoPants, Farnborough
21/02/2013 at 16:40

Those who voted for this should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves. The point is not that they cannot afford to pay, but that we should rightly make allowances for disabled people by offering free parking to help them use public facilities and make access easier.

If you want to charge you are obliged to make reasonable adjustments which should mean at least moving parking machine so that they are accessible from the driving seat so that paying does not require an additional detour to and from the car by foot or wheelchair.

Cllr Dibbs I am afraid that you have totally missed the point.

Finally I thought councillors were there to serve local people not to insult or bully them. Labelling disabled people as dishonest is in my view disgraceful and an abuse of public office.