Blue Badge Bust Up

As this issue’s letters pages show, there are currently few subjects more likely to raise the blood pressure of disabled people than alleged abuses of the Blue Badge Scheme. Can the scheme be improved without restricting the needs of people with genuine mobility impairments?

“If you want my parking space, have my disability as well.” We’re sure that many Able readers – whether you’re a driver or a passenger – will have felt like saying that at some time or another as you’ve seen apparently non-disabled people using designated ‘disabled’ parking spaces or displaying Blue Badges.

Following last issue’s column, by Able columnist Lorraine Hershon, on what she saw as Blue Badge Abuse, a veritable flood of you wrote to us, for the most part expressing your anger, annoyance and frustration about the current Blue Badge Scheme and its ‘widespread’ abuse.

Time and again, at Able magazine, our readers have told us that there is “widespread abuse of the Blue Badge scheme”, that the penalties for “flagrant misuse” of the Badges are “woefully inadequate”, and that the validity of the Badges is “rarely checked” in their own area. And yet we also hear from people who insist that, although they’re not in a wheelchair or have an obvious mobility impairment, their independence would be seriously curtailed without the benefits of having a Blue Badge. So, what’s to be done?

REALITY VS THE IDEAL

At its heart, the Blue Badge Scheme is a wonderful, simple idea – giving parking concessions to people with mobility difficulties, enabling them to park closer to where they need to go, and so improving their ability to lead independent lives. The original Orange Badge scheme was set up almost 40 years ago in 1971; the colour change to blue began on 1 April 2000 when the idea was spread out across the whole of the European Union

However, there have long been complaints about the reality of the Badge scheme, not least because of the difficulties in checking Badges issued by different local authorities – not all of which would seem to be up to speed on the eligibility criteria agreed by the Department for Transport, if some research is to be believed.

As the number of Badge holders rose significantly beyond the two million mark in England, disabled motorist charity Mobilise led an increasingly vocal campaign demanding reform of a scheme that was felt, by the mid-Noughties, to have run into serious disrepute.

THE GOVERNMENT REVIEW

Mobilise’s Helen Smith told Able magazine: “Even the Government eventually recognised that the Scheme was subject to an enormous amount of abuse – some councils give it to people purely on an age-related basis, and that’s not what the Badge is there for at all.”

On 20 October 008, the Department for Transport published the Comprehensive Blue Badge (Disabled Parking) Reform Strategy England; this was the result of a four month public consultation and a ‘robust’ programme of ‘research, economic analysis and stakeholder engagement’. Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, Paul Clark MP, announced “a suite of commitments” designed to “radically reform the scheme in a manner that is right for the 21st century”.

“I want to ensure that the maximum number of people, who have a genuinely severe disability, can benefit from the scheme,” he said at the launch. “That is why the strategy contains a commitment to extend the scheme to people with certain significant temporary mobility problems (lasting at least one year,) individuals with severe mental impairments, seriously disabled veterans and more children, under three, with specific medical conditions.”

FIT FOR PURPOSE?

The Government’s proposals aimed to make assessments fairer and more consistent across the country and nine local authorities were awarded ‘Centre of Excellence’ status and funding to help them share their good. Millions of pounds was also promised to help prevent abuse of the Scheme through theft, forgery or the illegal borrowing of the Blue Badges by non-disabled people.

In general the promise of tighter regulation and enforcement of the Blue Badge scheme was welcomed at the time. Gordon Lishman‚ Director General of Age Concern‚ said: “We are pleased that extensions to the eligibility criteria should help people who have temporary mobility difficulties due to having had a stroke or hip replacement. Some people who have Alzheimer’s or dementia would also benefit from having a blue badge for the first time.”

But there are worries about the potential for delay in the five-year timetable incorporated into the review. “Whilst these changes are welcome they must be implemented urgently to have an effect‚” Gordon Lishman said at the time. Two years on, Mobilise’s Helen Smith agrees. “We were fully supportive of those changes,” she told us. “It’s now a case of making sure that those changes are brought in and brought in quickly and effectively.”

SIMPLY COMPLICATED

On its own, legislation is not a universal panacea; people’s attitudes and behaviour have to change; the largest Blue Badge abuse is currently thought to be by people illegally using disabled relatives’ Badges. However, Helen warns against Able readers ever directly challenging people. “All I would say to people who are getting angry is to have a copy of our Mobilise magazine, because we’re obviously for Blue Badge holders, and say: ‘Oh, I see you’re a Blue Badge holder, would you be interested in this?’ If they’re not, they might get really embarrassed!” Or, of course, you could use Able magazine!

Several readers suggested having different Badges for differing levels of physical, sensory or mobility impairments. But is that simply a way of putting disabled people against each other, by creating a hierarchy of impairments and disability? “If you’ve got (a Blue Badge) because you’re waiting for a transplant, or you’ve got a terrible heart condition, do you really want another disabled person coming up and challenging you?” asked Helen. “I don’t think that’s fair either.”

The Blue Badge may be based on an extremely simply idea, but like many such ideas the reality of its design and enforcement can get very complicated to sort out!

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MOBILISE

National charity Mobilise isn’t just a great source of information for disabled motorists; it’s also the strongest voice campaigning for disabled motorists’ rights. “We are the charity that represents disabled motorists,” explained Helen Smith. “If people really want a voice and really want things to change, there’s no point sitting at home and moaning, you’ve got to get off your backside and you’ve got to do things. And part of that is joining organisations like us and supporting us in the work that we do.”

MORE: 01508 489 449, www.mobilise.info

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BLUE BADGE SCHEME: THE BASICS

The Blue Badge Scheme gives Badge holders greater flexibility when it comes to on-street parking. The Blue Badge Scheme does not apply to off-street car parks, private roads and most UK airport.

The scheme operates throughout the UK, although there are minor variations in its application in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

People who receive the higher rate of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance, receive a War Pensioner’s Mobility Supplement or are registered blind automatically qualify for a Blue Badge without a need for any assessment.

A Blue Badge advice line, provided by the Community Transport Association, can offer general information and advice, as well as details about using the Blue Badge abroad, toll concessions and more, on 020 7944 2914 or 0161 367 0009, emailblue.badge@dft.gsi.gov.uk .