Council backs Blue Badge car park charges (From Daily Echo)
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Anger from campaigners over controversial decision
9:30am Sunday 10th March 2013 in News
By Chris Yandell, Chief Reporter, New Forest
Blue badge holder Diana Arnold with her mother Ursula.
DISABLED groups are fighting plans to force Blue Badge holders to pay to use council-owned car parks in the New Forest.
Civic chiefs have angered campaigners by approving proposals to scrap the free parking currently enjoyed by more than 10,000 motorists across the district.
Critics say Blue Badge holders, many of whom are on low incomes, will face financial hardship.
They also fear that disabled motorists will sidestep the new charges by exercising their right to park on double yellow lines, causing congestion in busy town centre streets.
New Forest District Council claims that all drivers should contribute to the cost of maintaining car parks in the area.
Officers estimate that the proposed new charges for Blue Badge holders will boost the council’s annual income by at least £75,000.
However Age Concern New Forest East says the authority’s decision will be opposed by organisations such New Forest Access for All and the New Forest Disability Information Service.
An Age Concern spokesman said: “They’re going to fight it and we’re right behind them.
“It’s not just older people who are going to be affected, it’s all disabled people – and they’ll be hurt quite drastically.”
Joan Cundill chairman of New Forest Access for All, added: “We’re very disappointed at the council’s decision. Unloading a wheelchair in a car park is difficult enough without having to worry about paying.
“An awful lot of disabled people are on benefits and this is going to cause some real problems.”
One of the council’s own members has described the proposed new system as “mean and unjust”.
Councillor David Harrison, a former leader of the Liberal Democrat opposition group, warned that the Conservative-controlled authority could face a legal challenge.
He said: “The Tories have consulted with groups such as Age Concern but they haven’t listened.
“It’s a great pity because it will mean more than 10,000 disabled people in the Forest will suffer hardship.”
Potential victims of the council’s new policy include Diana Arnold, 66, of Hythe, who looks after her 92-year-old mother Ursula and often takes her out and about.
Diana said: “We often use our Blue Badge every day in the summer.
“In future we’ll just have to pay to park, which will be another |
burden on our pension.”
One in three local authorities across the UK already charge Blue Badge holders to park, including Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch.
Disabled motorists can use pay-and-display car parks in Eastleigh for free but need a ticket for the pay-on-exit facilities.
In the New Forest Blue Badge holders will be allowed to park for an hour longer than the length of time they actually pay for.
Cllr Paul Vickers, Cabinet member for planning and transport, said: “It’s fair to expect that all car park users should make a contribution towards our car park operating costs.”
The charges are due to be imposed in the 2013-2014 financial year.
Comments(25)
andysaints007
says...
9:54am Sun 10 Mar 13
sotonbusdriver wrote:TW&T
Better still, all blue badge holders BOYCOTT all New Forest businesses completely.. By using Southampton, or other places nearby that allow free parking.
Then The New Forest business committees can argue about the loss of trade hurting their lively hoods
Frank28
says...
10:33am Sun 10 Mar 13
Linesman
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10:43am Sun 10 Mar 13
Totally lacking in care and understanding of those most in need.
It is thinking like this that has seen many disable people being put out of work and on to benefit because of the closure of so many Remploy factories.
The millionaires have had a tax break, which should see an increase in donations to the Tory Party, so all is not lost.
ohec
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11:24am Sun 10 Mar 13
new_forest88
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11:52am Sun 10 Mar 13
new_forest88
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11:53am Sun 10 Mar 13
VictorMeldrew
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12:34pm Sun 10 Mar 13
ohec
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2:31pm Sun 10 Mar 13
new_forest88 wrote:Yes they do pay with money we give them for that purpose so you are just splitting hairs.
OHEC - get your facts right disabled people do pay for their mobility cars !
ohec
says...
2:33pm Sun 10 Mar 13
VictorMeldrew
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2:43pm Sun 10 Mar 13
ohec wrote:One day ohec may be a disabled oap and then be able to make an informed comment.
Blimey there is one thing worse than a moaning OAP and thats a disabled one.
THEKILLER
says...
3:53pm Sun 10 Mar 13
ohec wrote:Agree the whole system is not fit for purpose and has been abused for years Being disabled does not always mean no money a near neighbour has a Blue badge but is by no means short of money with State Pension Works pension and Private pension him and his wife can afford at least one cruse a year and other holidays!!
I don't see any reason for them not paying a lot of them are driving about in cars that don't cost them a penny other than for fuel, there are thousands of pensioners who struggle to run their own cars including the purchase,insurance and all the other running costs but they have to pay. Being disabled does not necessarily mean poor, and the Blue Badge scheme is not fit for purpose anyway, that along with the higher rate mobility allowance must be the most abused and fraudulent of all benefits/perks and the sooner the government get to grips with it the better.
ohec
says...
3:57pm Sun 10 Mar 13
VictorMeldrew wrote:Your user name say's it all, i am an OAP but thank God not one of the moaning variety, ok the world we live in might not be perfect but there are a lot worse of in the world and if all you have got to moan about is paying to park your car then your not doing so bad. I think the little old ladies i see walking around bent up with arthritis etc would love to have nothing more to worry about than paying to park a car.
ohec wrote:One day ohec may be a disabled oap and then be able to make an informed comment.
Blimey there is one thing worse than a moaning OAP and thats a disabled one.
Lockssmart
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4:54pm Sun 10 Mar 13
Pikey-Biker
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7:54pm Sun 10 Mar 13
Lockssmart wrote:No he/she is not, he/she is making valid points different to yours
ohec is a Troll
Pikey-Biker
says...
8:14pm Sun 10 Mar 13
VictorMeldrew wrote:like whom?
This will be a nice little earner suing the council when they get it wrong as many other councils have.
Lockssmart
says...
10:11pm Sun 10 Mar 13
****-Biker wrote:That's your view and that was mine. Don't stray too far from the middle of the road.
Lockssmart wrote:No he/she is not, he/she is making valid points different to yours
ohec is a Troll
Pikey-Biker
says...
10:18pm Sun 10 Mar 13
freefinker
says...
12:52am Mon 11 Mar 13
Lockssmart wrote:.. it seems your main contribution to this website is to just call others trolls.
****-Biker wrote:That's your view and that was mine. Don't stray too far from the middle of the road.
Lockssmart wrote:No he/she is not, he/she is making valid points different to yours
ohec is a Troll
Is that not trolling?
Lockssmart
says...
1:26am Mon 11 Mar 13
freefinker
says...
9:03am Mon 11 Mar 13
Lockssmart wrote:.. I see. But JPM is funny and has me in stitches; but you, on the other hand ..... .
But I like trolling. Just like JPM does. Now I'm a very sad Troll. :-(
ohec
says...
9:32am Mon 11 Mar 13
As for the higher rate paid for mobility if that were to be implemented according to the criteria laid down by the government probably 50% would lose the higher rate and with it their FREE cars,
I fully support the genuine disabled and they are more than welcome to whatever they can get, its the vast amount abusing the system that annoy me and that should also annoy the genuine disabled because the abusers are taking funding away from them.
If you look at the criteria for the higher rate to put it bluntly you have to be half dead (no offence intended) i know disabilities are not always obvious but i personally know of abusers and probably a lot of people reading this will know people that are too.
When i refer to FREE cars that is exactly what i mean yes they hand over their allowance but that is what it is given to them for it is extra money for mobility costs.
Lockssmart
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10:26am Mon 11 Mar 13
Boatman
says...
11:48am Mon 11 Mar 13
sotonbusdriver wrote:You really have not thought about this. Typical NFDC charge is £1.50 for 2 hours. How much would the petrol cost to drive from Brockenhurst to Southampton?
Better still, all blue badge holders BOYCOTT all New Forest businesses completely.. By using Southampton, or other places nearby that allow free parking.
Then The New Forest business committees can argue about the loss of trade hurting their lively hoods
IronLady2010
says...
3:35pm Mon 11 Mar 13
sotonbusdriver says...
9:39am Sun 10 Mar 13
Then The New Forest business committees can argue about the loss of trade hurting their lively hoods