Forum Topic

Blue Badge misuse.

Is there much misuse and fraud of permits for disabled peoples' parking in Ealing?

Gerry Tan ● 4434d13 Comments

You're one of the good guys Steven.No one I know who has a Blue Badge would pass a thought on trading it tomorrow for full mobility.Do I want my Blue Badge? - No, I'd love to walk if I could.Do I need my Blue Badge? - Yes, but I dream of not needing it.

Nigel Brooks ● 4428d

Hard to have much faith in the system when you see builders pick ups and restaurant owners sports cars parked outside their places of work. This is not specifically Ealing but experience over the years. The strong should support the less strong. The able should walk for a few minutes to allow the less able convenient parking.

Steven Diver ● 4428d

Westminster and Camden acdcept the Blue Badge but only grudginly as they have their own disabled parking schemes and a VERY limited number of disabled parking spaces. You cannot park elsewhere using your Blue Badge.There is a way of getting reduced cost disabled parking, at least in Westminster, which I will gladly share with fellow Blue Badge holders if they PM me.

Nigel Brooks ● 4430d

It can be more difficult when a CC and a DC are involved.  You would have thought that they could communicate - well they can't. It is supposed to be much easier - a formality in fact - to get a Blue Badge when you are already registered as Seriously Sight Impaired with the Council.  Don't you believe it.Some councils still have ridiculous requirements for ID such a driving licences and passports which when you are asking for a Blue Badge and are over 90 there is a fair chance you won't have!  You also may not have utility bills because you pay them by direct debit.Oh and they didn't like the photograph - yet they gave no instructions. The rules for using them can vary from borough to borough.  Be wary of Westminster and Camden - check before you go!I hear the police check up at football matches because there are often a lot of Blue Badges misused around football stadiums then.

Philippa Bond ● 4431d

My father, who is 80 and can barely walk, is being made to jump through hoops by Bucks CC to get his badge renewed. If he could jump through hoops then he wouldn't need one.

Susan Kelly ● 4432d

I can only empathise mark.It took me 90 minutes to simply collect my Blue Badge last time. Ealing council have to do nothing as the applications are now handled centrally online and they merely have to hand over the badge to the person bearing the authenticated and approved application.I did however ring ahead and was able to book one of the Disabled parking spaces outside Perceval House. I was told to bring someone with me as, of course, you have to take the Blue Badge, which gives you the right to park there, out of the car to renew it - stupid system.

Nigel Brooks ● 4432d

All this whilst on crutches with a broken back!If you see fit people displaying a badge, CHALLENGE them directly. Don't make unfounded slurs and spread idle gossip on here against those that NEED them.

Mark Walker ● 4432d

Well, to say that "people exaggerate the hardship it causes" it a shameful generalisation.The effort required to get a BBB is incredible, and to stigmatise people who have them is just unworthy.I was told to collect one from Ealing Council offices. Any parking available?No - I was told there was plenty of space in the Broadway Centre! This at a time when I could barely walk 20 yards!I was then made to wait two hours on the "ticket system" whilst staff went for tea breaks.

Mark Walker ● 4432d

Working in the building industry I was offered a blue badge for £60 a few years ago.

Tony Maxey ● 4433d

Also, I believe that there are a few people who admittedly have a mobility problem but exaggerate the hardship it causes, so as to obtain a blue card permit fraudulently.

Gerry Tan ● 4433d

Some of these abusers are half crazy as well as selfish. One young woman who was stopped by the police for misusing her Granny's badge, drove off at high speed to get Granny out of her care home and into the passenger seat!

Susan Kelly ● 4433d

I’ve seen blue badges on a few builders vans and the other day I noticed one on a stretch limo. All these seem suspect to me but they probably have valid reasons for display. I cannot understand if you are capable of work why are you entitled to a blue badge.

Tony Maxey ● 4433d

Yes and it, as a legitimate badge user with very limited mobility, annoys me intently.Equally annoying is the indiscriminate parking in the few disabled parking bays, most notably those on Mattock lane by parents dropping off, going for a coffee and collecting their kids from the local school. All done while the totally bloody useless parking attendants look on in bewilderment.

Nigel Brooks ● 4433d