Parking badge rethink for hidden disabilities
Residents who have unseen illnesses could benefit
Eligibility criteria for blue parking badges will be scrutinised by Renfrewshire councillors in a bid to help those with “hidden” illnesses.
Paisley Southwest councillor Eileen McCartin brought forward a motion asking if the local authority would look over the requirements that need to be fulfilled to get a disabled permit.
The Liberal Democrat member said she was concerned many people with impairments were not managing to get a badge because they were struggling to prove their difficulties to council staff.
It was agreed the issue should be looked at by the audit and scrutiny board.
The criteria has been drawn up by the Scottish Government, but Councillor McCartin said she was keen to see what elected members and officers could do to influence change.
She told the chamber: “There are people with hidden illnesses who still desperately need to be able to access parking as close to where they are going as possible.
“I have a resident who has terrible bowel problems and she has been out and had embarrassing accidents. It means she can hardly go out the door because she needs access to toilets wherever she goes.
“Having a blue badge would help.
“I know years ago the process for blue badges was abused and the rules were tightened, but it’s been tightened to the point where it is not helping some people who really need it.
“I don’t know if we can make changes or whether it has to be the government, but I’m asking we look at this and see if there is anything we can do.”
Some people automatically get a blue badge, but others have to have their eligibility examined by the council.
If you don’t automatically qualify for one, you can still get one if you have a “substantial disability” lasting at least a year that means you cannot or are virtually unable to walk, regularly drive and cannot use parking meters because of a severe disability in both arms, or are responsible for a child under three who needs to be kept close to a vehicle for medical treatment or because they use bulky medical equipment.
You can also get a blue badge if you can show you have a mental condition that means you lack awareness about the danger of traffic.
Councillor McCartin said this limited eligibility list means some people are having to go through a painstaking process to secure a badge.
She added: “I don’t think people should have to spend the time with our staff uncovering every personal and medical requirement in order to even attempt to get a blue badge.”
The agreed motion read: “Council recognises blue badge permits have become much more restrictive than before, ensuring there is no abuse of this system. However, the restrictions seem to focus only on whether or not someone can physically walk.
“Some residents have what is often referred to as “unseen” illness so that, while they have the appearance of being ablebodied, they, in fact, have illnesses which demand an ability to park as close as possible to, for example, toilet facilities.
“Our online application automatically refuses any such application.
“The council’s audit and scrutiny committee requires to re-examine the eligibility criteria and ensure those sufferers who require a blue badge can have access to a simple system of application and not have to go through a very unwieldy and sometimes unsuccessful process with staff who have to make individual judgements.”