Letter: Warning To Blue Badge Permit Holders And Of New Parking Charges

Published on: 29 Jun, 2018
Updated on: 29 Jun, 2018

From Brian Creese, vice chairman, Guildford Labour Party

Guildford Labour Party notes with concern the increasing attack on Blue Badge permit holders over the past few months.

Following on from the controversial decision by Royal Surrey County Hospital to make Blue Badge holders pay for their parking, Guildford railway station has now started charging Blue Badge holders for their parking.

At least the Royal Surrey publicised this fact; the parking contractors for Guildford station, APCOA, have introduced the charge by sleight of hand, not providing any hint that charging is now expected at the bays themselves.

While not all Blue Badge permit holders are poor, many are on disability benefits, an area which has recently been particularly hard hit by the Tory government.

Blue Badges are designed for those with chronic mobility problems to give them greater independence, and allow them to conduct their daily lives with minimal support.

The Tories at all levels seem to be mounting a war on Guildford’s drivers. Parking charges are to start at Newlands Corner, courtesy of your Tory county council, and new parking charges are set to be introduced around Stoke Park by your local borough Tories.

How long, I wonder before these new Blue Badge areas cease to be free?

Responses to Letter: Warning To Blue Badge Permit Holders And Of New Parking Charges

Chris Syner Reply

June 30, 2018 at 2:15 am

My late mother had a Blue Badge because she had limited mobility. By the time she had got herself and her mobility trolley out of the car, limped slowly over to the parking ticket machine and then limped slowly back to the car to put the ticket in her window she was too exhausted to do anything else.

It was discrimination in its ugliest form.
- Sally Brabridge Reply
  
  July 1, 2018 at 10:44 pm
  
  With respect, it sounds strongly like your mother should not have been driving if this simple exercise exhausted her out.
  
  A car is a weapon and with one miss-judgement, possibly from exhaustion, lives can be lost.
  - John Lomas Reply
    
    July 3, 2018 at 11:11 pm
    
    The inability to walk a short distance without getting breathless or even having difficulty getting in or out of the car easily does not mean a person is incapable of driving in a perfectly safe manner.
    
    Equally, and to the contrary, there are plenty of people out there who are perfectly capable of walking distances and yet are incapable of driving with anything approaching a responsible attitude or sufficient skill.
Richard J. Terrell Reply

June 30, 2018 at 7:26 pm

There appears to be a gross negligence of fact. A disabled person holding a legitimate Blue Badge is normally less privilege than a normal parker; in so far mobility can be more difficult, thus that need for parking nearer to objective, more time likely required to attend personal needs, or movement restricted by health issues, hence qualification for holding that badge approved on merit, individually by health professionals.

Nor, is this badge for friends, family, carers and alike, as its use is solely for the badged person whose photograph and true certified identity is hidden on the underside, that the parking warden can immediately identify.

Personally, I would not qualify for such a badge. However, I have informal caring responsibilities concerning two severely disabled friends who have different disabilities that some years ago would not be eligible.

I hope those concerned in adopting this charging will take notice, and those whom disagree would make it evident here for clarity, this is another unjustified measure disabled persons are subject to.
Sally Brabridge Reply

July 1, 2018 at 10:51 pm

Whilst it is never popular to all to introduce charging for parking, such as Newlands Corner, we have to be realistic and understand land in prime locations such as stations and hospitals has a cost and someone has to pay.

This is exactly what benefits and disability allowances are paid for to assist with extra costs and balance out society.

I would suggest charging 50% more for ‘disabled’ spaces as they are so much bigger than regular spaces and so disadvantage everyone else by reducing spaces.

This would also discourage abuse of the blue-badges as people with a genuine need would allocate the cash for their prime spot.

My views may not be popular in this delicate world, but those would think about things away from the dim popular press and will see the logic.
Sue Hackman Reply

July 3, 2018 at 3:06 pm

Unike other car usrs, Blue Badge holders do not have the option to go a little further out of town and park for free. They have to settle for punitive charges. It is, in effect, a tax on people with mobility problems.

I have some sympathy with the council because it is struggling to raise money to run key services, and car parking does raise revenue.

At the root of this problem lies a government that is squeezing local council finances to the point that they are barely viable, and then berating them for failures to deliver.

Unfortunately, when the council charges astronomical rates for parking, car users clog up residential roads instead.

When they introduce permit schemes in those roads, residents pay more and car users go to shop elsewhere. Similarly, when the council clears out small shops and puts top-end stores in town, ordinary citizens take their custom to Bracknell and Farnborough.

Are we not in danger of pricing Guildford shoppers – not just the disabled – out of Guildford?
- Sally Brabridge Reply
  
  July 4, 2018 at 10:21 am
  
  Ms Hackman misses the point entirely.
  
  Extra charges created due to disability are addressed through the payment of benefits and disability allowances and balance out society. Turning this into a political argument is unhelpful. At the heart of this is generations of spending more than they have at every level.
  
  Simply look at Guildford High Street and shops every weekend, absolutely packed with happy shoppers – I strongly do not think we are in danger of pricing serious shoppers out of town.
Richard J. Terrell Reply

July 6, 2018 at 5:04 pm

So, stick to fact – the disabled are pilletted with consistently having to prove that they have serious difficulty, many with needs legally entitled to proper assessment of need yet bound in endless red tape to avoid those issues, thus the popular press can be often their only platform.

Sally Brabridge needs to realise Ms Hackman is likely more right than wrong. However, I would not think Guildford High Street is short of shoppers, being other important factors draw families in, and hopefully Guildford will pursue always to remain unique.

Attempt to purge on the benefits of the Blue Badge, (accepted across Europe) is unacceptable. Your are asking that disabled person to seek a parking machine, merely that a fee can be collected and time stamped sticker issued, then return to the car to proudly display PAID, when all that otherwise would be required if a time restricted area, is to set the time dial of the Blue Badge, placing in window, confirms time of arrival.

Concerning abusers of the Blue Badge, they should pay their fee in court.

Ms Brabridge’s comment amounts to gross discrimination, and overlooks too, oversized spaces are a norm often in supermarkets for families, yet the Blue Badge can still be used in normal spaces,

Thus, if wider spaces are provided, it is solely a consideration to assist disabled whom would have serious difficulty.
Sally Brabridge Reply

July 12, 2018 at 9:26 am

The solution came to me whilst in London. When the rollout of ‘pay by phone’ parking is completed, which is only a matter of time as it is so much more cost effective for all, then those unable to walk to the charging machines can simply do this from the comfort of their car – saving all their energy for their intended walk to the Doctors’ etc.