Blue badge holders may face medical tests

Published on Monday 12 July 2010 14:29

DRIVERS could be forced to undergo an independent medical assessment before being allowed to join the blue badge disabled parking scheme, under Scottish Government plans published yesterday.

A consultation on the reform of the blue badge - which allows disabled drivers to park on yellow and double yellow lines to access local services - proposes wide-ranging changes to its operation to crack down on misuse.

These include the introduction of examinations for applicants if there is doubt about the extent of their disability.

At present, badges are issued automatically to people in receipt of disability allowance and at the discretion of GPs. But the Scottish Government has raised concern that this system is applied inconsistently across the country and should be policed by an independent assessment of need, as well as a standard set of application forms for the whole of Scotland.

As well as examining the eligibility for the scheme, the plans also propose making the badges much harder to copy and suggest compiling a national database of blue badge holders to help councils share information and crack down on their illegal use. Local authorities, which administer the scheme, say misuse of the badges is common, with a study by Lothian and Borders Police in 2008 revealing 77 out of 128 badges investigated being used improperly. The local authority estimates that each misused permit costs councils 5,700 per badge per year in lost parking fees and tax, with counterfeit badges sold on the black market contributing to organised crime.

As well as forged copies of the permits, common abuses of the system, which has been operating since 1971, include borrowing a disabled relative's badge, or applications being made in a false name or in the name of a dead person.

Elsewhere in the Scottish Government's proposed reforms, which could be in place by 2013, Scotland's 260,000 blue badge holders would be banned from parking on double yellow lines, and a time restriction would be brought in for those parking on single yellow lines.

Yesterday, disability campaigners voiced concerns about the proposals, insisting that disabled people were being forced to "jump through hoops" to prove they needed the concession.

Richard Hamer, director of external affairs at Capability Scotland, said his organisation welcomed the reform of the system, but was concerned about the examination proposals.

"Once again, disabled people are being asked to jump through hoops to prove they are entitled to support," he said.

"While it is important checks and balances are in place to ensure the system is not abused, we do not want to see people having to constantly prove their disability."

Mr Hamer added: "We fail to see how reducing the areas where blue badge holders can park, and the length of time they can park there, can be seen as improvements.

|Capability Scotland would urge the government to rethink plans to remove blue badge holders' ability to park on double yellow lines and to limit length of stay on single yellow lines."

The Scottish Government's suggested reforms would also see the eligibility for the scheme extended to parents of severely disabled children under three, autistic people and people with severe dementia.

Launching the consultation, transport minister Stewart Stevenson said the proposed changes would "make the scheme easier to access and use by those who are eligible, easier to enforce in order to clamp down on those who flout the rules and more efficient to administer."x