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Letter of the month
MERGER IS NEEDED MORE THAN EVER
Sir – I see that outline proposals on the merger with the DDA are to be put to both memberships at their AGMs in June. As an ex-director of the DDMC who was heavily engaged in the previous round of merger negotiations some years ago, I know how extremely difficult it is to put together two established organisations; my congratulations to those who have got us so far this time.
Believe it or not, the view has been expressed to me by some members that it would be better to retain both organisations because keeping them “at each other” in some sort of competition is good for the disabled motorist.
However, the evidence is clearly otherwise. For example having two organisations has done nothing to solve the disabled motorist's biggest complaint over many years, namely the abuse of the Blue Badge and parking bays for Blue Badge holders.
We know that we are living in a fast changing world in which such concepts as congestion charging, road charging by satellite, increasing fuel costs, the threat to the environment by the car and the inexorable collapse of a national Blue Badge scheme are going to put increasing
pressure on us and future members.
It is more important than ever to have one efficient organisation to represent us and provide the services we require at a cost we can afford.
In June we will have perhaps the last chance to make this vital merger take place by voting for it in person or, I assume, by proxy. If the proposal is rejected, the initiative will have been lost and it may be 20 years before there is another chance. I think we know what we should do in
June.
Myles Coffee
London
APPLICATION FOR A BAY IS AS CLEAR AS MELTING CHOCOLATE
Sir – I write with reference to several letters that you published in the March 2005 edition. I am a part-time “wheelie” and Blue Badge holder, being a person with MS. I was a driving instructor for 25 years, although I trained as an architectural
technician. As a hobby, I undertake, on behalf of friends and local charity groups, local authority planning applications for general and disabled-friendly building renovations and alterations.
Firstly, Mr Fisher FRICS. His comments regarding “parking bays” provided outside private residences are a contentious issue. Most local authorities will provide a designated parking bay at or outside your premises, usually at a cost of around
£40-45, which any person holding a Blue Badge can apply for through the local highways department.
The provision of a bay is determined on the need of the person applying and the appropriate position to ensure that it would comply with the Road and Highway Act, ie: its proposed proximity to a junction, whether yellow line restrictions
are already in force, if it would cause an obstruction to traffic flow or if it might be opposite a junction or existing access etc, based loosely on the principles of the Highway Code – where not to park.
However, the new Building Regulations (Part M) which have been enforceable since May last year give a clear outline (well, as clear as melting chocolate really) which enforces new legislation, albeit in draft form regarding access for “All”. If,
for example, you are in receipt of DSA and your house needs conversion for disabled access and facilities, depending on your existing off-road parking facilities, you might be eligible for a parking bay.
As I understand (through the melting chocolate), the provision of this facility could be subsidised by the Secretary of State through a local grant. As your letter states, it could be subject to an enforcement order. In any other application request, enforcement would be subject to a planning committee and roads and highways enquiry and recommendation.
Each designated bay with enforcement priority costs the local authority around £4,000 for the legal charge and a public charge from the local police authority for enforcement.
There is, in local authority budgeting, then, a need to consider each case carefully by its merits. Your local authority has met its obligation and some more (no matter how bizarre it seems) by offering you a lock-up garage. You could try contacting your local Volunteer Bureau who can provide you with a local disabilities rights ombudsman. I have argued the point before. It seems to be a belief that we will probably be home before the general road user arrives home from work, car
safely ensconced on our regular parking space. We are after all physically impaired, and couldn't possibly need to go out after dark! (Then do we really need a designated parking place in the first place, you may ask?).
My second letter response is regarding Mr A Casman,“Spanish Vanish”. My wife and I have just returned from our winter camper home holiday touring Spain. We have been touring over some time but have spent only 11 days on campsites. Parking was carefully planned and at all times we endeavoured to be “legal”. We too have parked for several nights in Cartagena and many other towns and villages as well as beachfronts and car parks. We have been pleasantly surprised at the help and consideration given to us by the local police and Gardia.
On one occasion, parked on a beach with some 20-plus other motorhomes, the police arrived to check us all out (illegal immigrants, drug traffickers and large quantities of washing hung out to dry being their main target). They looked
at our RV with some interest and after several passes of the vehicle, I decided to be brave and invited the officers to come and look. The two alighted from their vehicle, and after an hour, having drained our coffee percolator, departed, informing us that unless there was a major “boat incident” we were at liberty to stay for a reasonable time. Several days went by with the pair offering a friendly wave and a reassuring enquiry that all was well.
Another incident was a torrential rainstorm that washed away part of the beach at Mojacar in January. The Gardiashowed us where to park safely for the night and where to settle the next day.
I can recall many more incidents of this nature over the past five years of wild camping in Spain, France and Portugal. Are you offering the wrong coffee, are you displaying correctly, or more to the point, did you check the restrictions correctly?
An issue which did disturb me, because of our experience, was the number of expat Brits displaying false Blue Badges. Photocopied lookalike representations of our coveted benefit nicely covered in plastic folders. I was actually asked by one party if he could borrow mine to make a copy; he assured me that he would put his own photo on it! I could not print the reply I gave or his reply at his refusal. If you see them– shop them.
Mac Stowe
(ADI tired and resigned)
Leicestershire
SO, WHO IS THIS BAY REALLY FOR?
Sir –The photo (Right) shows a police car in the disabled parking bay at my
local store at Linwood in Paisley. I watched for a bit, thinking two police officers would appear with an arrested shoplifter, only to see a female officer carrying a packet of crisps and a banana!
I sent it in to Strathclyde police, who sent me an apology but did mention the
officer and a colleague were in the store picking up a CCTV video. However, I
pointed out that the officer did not have a colleague with her and the only items
she was carrying were the crisps and banana. They haven't replied yet, so
watch this space.
Kenny Cairns (by email)
ARE WE LIVING BY DIFFERENT RULES?
Sir – I recently returned to my car to find a “present” from one of West Midlands Police's finest. An officer had stuck a parking ticket on to my windscreen, at eye level, right in front of the driver's seat. It was a very cold night, snow falling, and I had great difficulty removing the ticket so that I could drive home.
A few days later I was in Wolverhampton when I spotted a police car covered in CrimeStoppers stickers parked right outside the city council offices, occupying a disabled space. We saw a police officer walking up the hill towards the police car and I asked if it was his vehicle. He admitted it was but he had to park there as he had been called to the Magistrates Courts on an“emergency call”.
But if he were attending an “emergency” for me I would not want him to park
50 yards away from the “emergency” on a handily situated disabled space.
My reason for writing this letter is that I was, and still am, angry that I was given a parking ticket – I was parked facing the correct way on a one-way street, admittedly on double yellow lines, but my badges were correctly displayed. I had on previous occasions been assured by police officers that as I was displaying my
badges it was all right for me to be there. I could have accepted the £30 statutory
fine had I not felt that I was being discriminated against; after all there were
two vehicles parked in the street facing the wrong way, one of which was parked
facing me, albeit on a marked parking bay. Neither that vehicle, nor the other
one parked further up the street had been given a “present” like mine. Why not?
I have been unable to get an answer from either West Midlands Police Force
or their parking ticket administrative office so must, shortly, appear in the local Magistrates Court (yes, the same one that had the “emergency” referred to earlier) to defend myself.
Mike Gough, Staffordshire
I DON'T APOLOGISE FOR MY TONE
Sir – I would like to respond to letters regarding Helena the “disabled boat”, if I may be so bold as to expect the right of reply? I don't mind being criticised but
certain comments need to be corrected.
First, the letter from “Name and Address Supplied”. I do not apologise if the “tone of the article” was distasteful.
It was meant to be. Why? I will reiterate: Because that damned boat had been
“moored” across two disabled parking bays for more than four months and,
after frequent telephone calls to the harbour master to ask if she (Helena) was going to be moved got me no joy, things had to be taken further.
So they were, and I got more than a result.
I am amused at the writer's preconception that I have no idea how a local authority works. The writer might like to know that my partner is my town council's administrator. So I feel I have more than a good enough perception as to be able to pass comment, or even criticism.
The writer then goes on about staff taking holidays over the Christmas period. What, four months' worth? October to almost February.
And I'm sorry to have to write that the “scattergun” approach does work, if it's aimed at the right person. If you shoot someone in the foot, it's that someone who shouts. Not some office junior/letter opener miles away from making the decision one would be hoping to get.
The writer's final comment about consultation doesn't wash either, I'm afraid; to begin consultation one has to receive a reply to one's first contact, doesn't one?
I just kept writing until my“scattergun” hit the right person.
Secondly I would like to thank all those who contacted me by phone and letter and particularly Margaret Hides from Kent, who mentioned in her letter to the magazine my support dog Derek the Doberman, and I could certainly write an article about our “relationship”, should I be asked!
However, I'm sorry to have to inform you, Margaret, that Derek passed away
on March 11 from a type of leukaemia. He and I had a once-in-a-lifetime
partnership and he will be greatlymissed. It's as if someone has cut off my right arm. I'll certainly miss our games of hide and seek!
Greg Hayball
Dorset
I'D ALSO COMPLAINED ABOUT HELENA
Sir – I was intrigued by Greg Hayball's article (March 2005) and further letters
in the April issue. I, too, had seen the Helena, and had written to West Dorset
District Council.
I had previously contacted the council about a problem with the signs in their car parks. Although their website stated that cars with VED (Vehicle Excise Duty) exemption did not have to pay parking charges, the signs in the car parks said that Blue Badge holders did have to pay parking fees.
I noted that this was against the Disability Discrimination Act, and I wanted a refund of my parking charges.
They did eventually refund them!
Incidentally, Greg should not feel slighted that the council could not produce a reply within six weeks; it took more than that for them to answer any of my letters.
Although the Helena has been moved, two issues remain unanswered. Firstly,
who was responsible for the Helena being in those bays in the first place?
Was it the owner, the Harbour Master or the council itself?
Secondly, why was whoever parked the Helena in the wrong place not prosecuted? (It would be ironic if it was the Council who did it). If Blue Badge
holders are fined for trivia like displaying their badges the wrong way round,
shouldn't whoever parked the Helena without a Blue Badge be fined? We
should be told.
May I also comment on the experiences your correspondents have had with
British Airways and bulkhead seats. In the USA, the law (Air Carrier Access Act) gives a right to have a bulkhead seat to those who need it. This law used to apply only to US airlines, but has recently been extended to all flights to/ from US destinations, even for non-US airlines.
The Department of Transportation in the USA will fine any airline that violates
this Act.
It's time we had similar legislation in the UK. In the meantime, just keep arguing
with the airline each time you make a booking, and don't give up. I recently
managed to obtain bulkhead seats on Emirates by being persistent.
David Epstein
London
WE'D SOON GET A PARKING TICKET
Sir - Am I the only person to notice that whenever work has to be carried out in or near a car park, it is always the disabled bay that is used for the works equipment?
There are precious few disabled bays as it is and local authorities have a duty of care to maintain those they have. That means checking that their use is not being abused and it would seem to me that having a large boat parked across two Disabled bays for several months is something even a hard-worked official should be able to spot as not the proper
use.
If, however, a disabled motorist's car was parked, say on a taxi rank, I am sure the result would be swift and the matter would be dealt with by the police,
although they are both parking offences.
Warren Evans
Bedfordshire
AN ACT OF MADNESS OVER BLUE BADGES
Sir – Could you please pass my disgust on to whoever decided to issue Blue
Badges to the citizens of the county of Suffolk without supporting medical
evidence?
The people who abuse and park in disabled bays without permits are the very people who care nothing for being honest and will apply for their permits.
Suffolk's actions go against everything the disabled community and the
Government are doing in an attempt to stop abuse.
The council's employees are seemingly uncaring for those who need these bays. No one who really needs these badges minds having to get medical support.
Have they not consulted? Is it not madness?
John B Sidebottom
(by email)
ABANDONED AT HEATHROW
Sir – After the letter “British Unfairways” (Letters, March 2005), may I add my experience with BA. I had saved for ten years to travel business class to Australia to celebrate my 70th birthday with my nephew. All the arrangements were made for wheelchair assistance.
The flight out and back worked as arranged as did the stopover in Singapore – the snag was at Heathrow.
We were to land early; as we were checked in I identified myself as needing
wheelchair assistance. I was given the usual instructions to wait and told I would be assisted off the plane. Luckily my friend was with me so when the plane had emptied she helped me to the exit only to find that the cabin staff had given my wheelchair to another passenger.
The airline had supplied the two ordered wheelchairs to people who fancied them, though they had a list with our names on it, Yes, another lady had waited like me.
Having landed at 4.40am we were expected to wait until the day staff came on duty! Needless to say, the BA staff were long gone, leaving us to freeze at the gate. I got a wheelchair at 7.10am. We were well frozen by then. When we got through to the carousel our three bags were the only ones left. I will never fly with BA again.
Sylvia Langlois
(by email)
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