‘Nonsense’ badge system
I was appalled to read the account on page 4 of the December 14 edition of the Middy, of the elderly couple who were issued with a PCN after parking at the Market Place car park in Burgess Hill, despite having displayed their 'Blue Badge' exemption card inside their vehicle.
From the article, I conclude that their 'crime' was that they had not reregistered their vehicle following the takeover of the site by a different management company.
My wife is also the proud holder of a 'Blue Badge', and I may well receive a PCN shortly, for having committed such a 'crime' recently.
When I first attempted to register, as requested by a notice displayed near one of the payment meters, earlier this year, the machine I used would not respond sensibly to my input, so I abandoned the exercise.
On returning home, I telephoned the local council, who very helpfully managed to complete the process for me during our phone call.
At the end of the call, I asked if I would have to register every time I used that car park.
The response was a swift and definite "No, it's a 'once
This newspaper and its website is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation, the regulatory body for the press, and abide by its code of conduct. If you have a complaint about editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then contact the Editor. If you remain dissatisfied with the response provided, then you can contact IPSO at Gate House, 1 Farringdon Street, London, EC4M 7LG (Tel: 0300 123 2220) or e-mail: inquiries@ipso.co.uk and-for-all' process: you will NEVER need to do so again."
There was certainly no suggestion that I might have to do so if, for example, I changed my vehicle.
At the time, I must admit I could not see why they needed my vehicle registration details, but didn't think to query this.
It is, after all, the person in the vehicle who is disabled, not the actual vehicle.
However, the article implies, by mentioning ANPR (automatic numberplate recognition) that the eligibility of the 'Blue Badge' is linked to a specific vehicle, rather than a specific person.
This seems to me to be totally illogical.
It suggests that, if I go shopping on my own (which is more often the case nowadays) in my own vehicle, I can park anywhere with impunity, and don't even need to display the 'Blue Badge' card (which is registered in my wife's name).
Conversely, If I go there (with my wife as a passenger) in a different vehicle, I could be prosecuted, even if the 'Blue Badge' is clearly displayed (as was the case on one recent visit last month).
This is clearly a nonsense, and the whole concept of using ANPR to determine the eligibility for disabled parking in that car park (or any other car park, for that matter) is ridiculous, and such a system is simply not fit for purpose.
Ian Turnbull, World’s End, Burgess Hill