Posts Tagged ‘Blue Badge’
Free Blue Badges for Welsh motorists
Wednesday, December 14th, 2011The Welsh Government has announced that their aim is to offer disabled people a Blue Badge free of charge. In England local authorities will be able to charge up to £10.00, and in Scotland up to £20.00.
The Welsh Government propose that they will fund the scheme by changing the law so notices about road works no longer have to be published in the local press. They currently estimate that £1 million pounds is spent per year placing such regulation orders.
Helen Dolphin, Disabled Motoring UK’s Director of Policy and Campaigns, said: ”I made our charity’s position very clear when I responded to the Welsh Government consultation that there should be no charge for a Blue Badge and I’m delighted that the Government has found another way to fund this scheme.”
The National Union of Journalists in Wales (NUJ) support the decision about making the Blue Badges free to disabled people, but criticise the way the government propose to pay for the scheme. The placement of such regulation orders provides much needed to income to an industry that has already seen a decline in advertising income. Ken Smith, chairman of the NUJ, said: “The union has no doubt that if this is allowed to happen, jobs will be lost and the survival of titles put in doubt.”
Appeal or Not to Appeal your PCN – Our Advice
Monday, November 28th, 2011
Most councils and other issuing authorities have a clear appeals procedure that must be followed. This will vary depending on whether the ticket was issued on-street or off-street. Unfortunately appealing any kind of ticket usually involves plenty of form-filling! However, as long as you include all the mitigating circumstances, many people will have their appeal succeed at the initial stage. Continue reading »
Using your Blue Badge around the world
Friday, October 14th, 2011
It’s now 40 years since the UK Disabled Person’s Parking Badge was first introduced and many countries around the world have implemented similar schemes. Bert Morris who is the former AA Motoring Policy Manager/Director recently completed a project gathering information on schemes worldwide to compile The Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) guide for the disabled traveller. Continue reading »
To appeal or not to appeal: that is the question.
Friday, September 23rd, 2011
Disabled Motoring UK member John Cornelius has received more than his fair share of Penalty Charge Notices (PCN’s). Should he take the hit or carry on appealing? Continue reading »
Blue Badge consultation in Wales
Monday, September 5th, 2011Welsh Minister for Local Government and Communities, Carl Sargeant AM, launched a Blue Badge Scheme consultation document as part of the ongoing Welsh Government commitment to reforming the scheme.
This consultation is seeking views on a number of proposals to improve the scheme in Wales to reflect the significant social changes that have taken place over the past 40 years, and to ensure the Scheme is administered efficiently, consistently and fairly.
Continue reading »
Using your Blue Badge around the world
Monday, September 5th, 2011It’s now 40 years since the UK Disabled Person’s Parking Badge was first introduced and many countries around the world have implemented similar schemes. Bert Morris who is the former AA Motoring Policy Manager/Director recently completed a project gathering information on schemes worldwide to compile The Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) guide for the disabled traveller.
Free parking for fraudsters
Thursday, August 4th, 2011
Results of a survey carried out by the charity Disabled Motoring UK with the help of Blue Badge Fraud Investigation, shows that in many areas Local Authorities are doing absolutely nothing to combat fraud and misuse of the Blue Badge scheme. This leads to a large number of fraudsters parking for free and depriving genuine disabled people from being able to access their town and city centres. By allowing this fraud to continue unchecked Local Authorities could be breaching the Equality Act 2010 which states that Local Authorities have a duty to investigate any activity that discriminates against a disabled person. Continue reading »
Parking progress
Thursday, July 21st, 2011Kelvin Reynolds, Director of Operations and Technical Services at the British Parking Association (BPA) looks at how parking is improving for the disabled motorist. Continue reading »
Blue Badge Reforms Announced
Monday, February 14th, 2011
The Department for Transport announced reforms to the Blue Badge scheme today, describing the changes as “major reforms to crack down on drivers who abuse the disabled parking system.”
A day in the life of a fraud investigator
Friday, August 20th, 2010
In the fight against Blue Badge abusers some local authorities are employing Blue Badge fraud investigators. Paul Slowey, a director of the company Blue Badge Fraud Investigation (BBFI) tells Mobilise about a day in his life on the hunt for abusers in Enfield, London.
09.00 Start work at the Civic Centre along with two other BBFI fraud investigators.
One is the contract manager and assigned to this Borough and the other a case manager who runs prosecutions.
As well as helping with the running of prosecution cases and on street operations I run the company. I enjoy working with the large number of stakeholders and have ten years experience of running on-street operations with multiple stakeholders. On the contract in this Authority I have an outstanding team of very professional staff including a retired Detective Inspector with 30 years policing experience and an ex-manager from the Home Office who managed Counter Terrorism cases. I spend the first hour redrafting the protocol on joint working with the Authority and the police. I find the better the processes the smoother the on street operations will be. Once an operation starts and badges are being ceased/vehicles removed and people arrested it can become a little complex and to prosecute things must be watertight. Continue reading »