Spinal Injuries Scotland

The Blue Badge scheme, allowing improved mobility for disabled people, is a vital service – many disabled people say they would go out less often if they did not know they could park safely.

The scheme has been in place since 1971 and needs to be updated for the 21^st Century.  Up to 31^st March 2009 there were 261,288 badges issued in Scotland and there has been a 95% increase in badges issued since 1997.  If left unaddressed the scheme would become unsustainable as there would simply be too many blue badges in circulation.

The aim of the consultation is to make the scheme easier to access for those eligible, easier to enforce and clamp down on those abusing the system, and to ensure efficient administration of the scheme.

Blue Badges fall into two categories – Automatic and Discretionary.  Badges are automatically awarded to those in receipt of the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance, and to those receiving War Pensioners Mobility Supplement.

There have been some inconsistencies in the issuing of Discretionary badges and these should be addressed by this consultation.  There is a questionnaire that all are encouraged to complete (Blue Badge holder or not) along with a back up document to give the background to some of the questions.

Since that document runs to 51 pages, it would be helpful to look at some of the more pertinent issues being addressed and to explain why the need for this consultation has arisen.

An important question is -

• Do you agree that we should amend the definition of “unable to walk or has considerable difficulty walking” so that it is consistent with that used for the Higher Rate of the Mobility Component of the Disability Living Allowance assessments?

The suggested change here is that instead of issuing a badge to those who have “considerable difficulty walking” this should be amended to those who are “virtually unable to walk”.  Hence less people could fall into this category as it is a lot more specific.

• Do you agree that we should encourage independent medical assessments?

In the past, blue badge applicants have been able to go to their own GPs to be medically assessed.  Independent assessments are being proposed to ensure fair, consistent and objective treatment for all.

• Do you agree that we should introduce maximum fine of £2,500 for the misuse of a Blue Badge?

At the moment the maximum fine is £1000.  This has meant that some fraudsters have taken the chance to use a badge illegally because even if they were caught, it would still be cheaper than paying for parking on a daily basis!

• Would you like to see the badge holder’s photograph on the front of the badge?

This is a hotly debated issue.  Some feel that it would be simpler if parking attendants/police officers could see whose badge is being used by looking at it through the windscreen.  Others believe there is a security risk attached to other people being able to see who the badge belongs to and therefore making them a “soft target” for crime.

• Do you think we should make it mandatory for all authorities to charge a fee of £20 for every application?
• Do you think we should also charge a fee of £20 for a replacement badge?

At present, different local authorities charge different amounts for a Blue Badge application.  Some do not charge at all.  The aim here is consistency instead of the “postcode lottery” we have now.  Additionally, a £20 fee per application should help dissuade fraudsters who submit multiple applications under different identities, a significant issue.  A charge for a replacement badge is suggested to encourage people to take care of their badge in the same way as they would do their passport or driving licence. And again, hopefully dissuade fraud, when people claim to have “lost” badges and require a replacement.

The majority of Blue Badges are issued for three years, so applicants would be paying, in effect, £20 for three years of the benefits associated with the badge.

• Do you agree that each Organisational Badge should contain the vehicle registration number?
• Do you agree that we should alter the design of an Organisational Badge to make it easily identifiable?

These moves are suggested to discourage abuse of organisational badges – e.g. minibuses belonging to care homes, hospitals etc.  Were the badge to include the registration number, and perhaps have a different coloured border to distinguish it, then it would be less likely to be used by an individual on their private car.

• Would you like to see research carried out on the implications of removing some of the additional concessions for badge holders?

This refers to concessions such as free or reduced ferry travel for Blue Badge holders.  Sometimes people use badges fraudulently for financial advantage such as this.  Perhaps if this financial advantage were to be removed, there would be less fraud?

The Blue Badge Reform Consultation form can be completed online at the Scottish Government website here.

Hopefully this consultation will result in a fairer and more consistent Blue Badge scheme, where applications will be dealt with identically regardless of where the applicant lives.

If you have any queries about any aspects of the form please contact Clare Byrne, who is the Spinal Injuries Scotland representative on the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS) – clare.byrne@sisonline.org, Clare will be happy handle queries if there are any difficulties with specific questions in the form, or if you require any further information about Blue Badges in general.

The closing date for this consultation is 8^th October 2010.

A former care home manager was fined £7500 for using a Blue Badge that he was not entitled to.

Is this the right decision?

CLICK HERE to read the full story.

Do you think the fine is too much or is it not enough?

Post your comments below

I recently used Autobility in Fife to go away for a long weekend and thought it was worth sharing my experience.

I was immediately impressed with them as their priority was the safety & comfort of the wheelchair passenger. We got everything sorted out with minimum hassle and off we went, only to come home the following day as I got a mark on my skin! (This was of course nothing to do with the hire vehicle). When my friend took the van back, Andy & Lorraine (the owners) of Autobility said we could have a refund or to just let them know when we were going away again and they would look at letting me have the vehicle for the same hire period.

I had a hire car on one occasion before my accident and had to return it early. I was then informed I couldn’t get any refund as the car was booked for a certain period of time and it wasn’t their fault I returned early. So I was pleasantly surprised when Andy & Lorraine acted the way they did.

I did get a vehicle for a second trip away which I have to add was a success!

Shortly after this, the van that I had owned for a number of years became un-useable.  I contacted Autobility about buying a second hand vehicle from them and they couldn’t have been more helpful. They handled everything in a professional manner, including all the paperwork and gave help and advice about insurance for the vehicle. There were some things on the van that had to be changed to make it more suitable for me which was done quickly and proficiently. A full demonstration of the vehicle was carried out at a suitable time for me and family members that would be driving it.  I was included in all discussions about the vehicle from the outset right down to delivery.

After having my new, well pre-owned vehicle I received follow up calls to make sure we were managing and happy with everything.

All things considered, I would highly recommend Autobility to anyone for a hire vehicle or a purchase.

I have passed their details on to my community occupational therapists and physiotherapists and I have left leaflets in the Spinal Unit as I would recommend this company to others.

There is a link to Autobility HERE on the SIS website or click on the banner below for a direct link to the Autobility website.

Since its origin in 1978 the Motability scheme has provided some 2 million cars, scooters and powered wheelchairs to disabled people. A large percentage of the spinally injured community have used the car scheme at some point and with the current range now offering more than 4000 cars with over 400 at nil deposit, there’s more choice than ever.

But not everyone appears to be happy with the options available if your disability requires you to drive an automatic. We recently received the following letter from SIS member Alex Aitken.

(Please note that since the letter was written the Motability prices have changed. The new, current prices are shown in brackets in red).

“I am a Motability customer and am due to change my car in July, so I though I would go on the website to see the kind of cars Motability had to offer. Being a T12 para my first priority in a car is a boot large enough to take my wheelchair and in my case, my grandson’s pram or buggy.

I was quite surprised when on the website to see the difference in advanced payments for the type of car I would need, as most spinal injured people will be aware, I need an automatic or semi-automatic gearbox. On checking some of the cars out, I discovered quite a difference indeed. A Renault Grand Scenic was advertised at nil advanced payment (AP) but if you need an automatic it will cost you £1,995 (£1895); A Mazda 6 big boot manual is nil AP (£495) in some garages but the automatic is £3,795 (£3595); Vauxhall Zafira manual is nil AP but the automatic is £1,249 (£499); Ford Mondeo Manual at an AP of £495 (£295), automatic is £1,195 (£1000).

I just wonder if some of the other spinal injured people think, like me, that we are being ripped off be either Motability or the car companies? If you can get most cars at nil AP but if you need an automatic gearbox you will need a fair deposit; the walking disabled have a choice to either take nil AP or go for a better model or an automatic and pay the extra. “We” on the other hand have no choice; we pay a large AP or go for a nil AP like a Clio, Corsa or 207 for example. When your wheelchair is standing in the boot there’s no room for a bag of messages.

So, is anyone annoyed that we have to take a car that is not really suitable for our needs, while others get to pick the cars that we need and can’t afford?”

Having had a quick look through the current car scheme for large MPVs that came with automatic transmissions we found these prices:

Vauxhall Zafira 1.9 CDTi auto diesel: £499 AP.

Ford Galaxy Ghia auto diesel: £2000

Kia Carens, 2.0 CRDi GS auto diesel: £1549 AP

Ford Galaxy 2.0TD auto diesel: £1500 AP

Mazda 5 2.0 Takara auto petrol: £695 AP

Do you agree with Alex? What do you think of the Motability car scheme and its current pricing?

Please feel free to post your comments below.

Related internet links:   Motability Car Scheme

SIS were recently sent this link to a BBC News item about wheelchair access to trains (I know the article’s a bit old). The article focuses on a local issue in England, but it got me thinking about access to rail services in Scotland.

I must confess, as a wheelchair user, my transport of choice is my car. I rarely use the train for anything other than long trips to the likes of London. Even in those rare situations, I can usually book well in advance and I’m almost always travelling to major stations that have good accessibility.

But what if I decided to follow the pleas of the environmental lobby and switch from my car to public transport?

Well since I live in Glasgow I can completely rule out the option of bus travel. (A quick look at the First Bus’s customer charter shows that they currently only have just over 70% of their fleet accessible to wheelchairs, and even that’s the best in Glasgow! I’ll save that rant for another time.) The underground is also inaccessible, so I guess my only realistic option is going to be the train. But how realistic is that?

The Scotrail website has a section for checking each station’s facilities, but it’s a bit vague i.e. for my nearest station it says it has a “lift or stairs down to ticket hall and Island platform”. Does that mean I have the option of lift OR stairs, or that there is only one OR the other?

The National Rail Enquiries website on the other hand, has a far more comprehensive resource for disabled passengers. Under the “stations and destinations” section I can find a plan of any station in the UK. Each plan not only shows key features such as lifts and toilets, but when you hover over each item a photo of that particular facility is shown, along with a description (you need to view the larger version of the plan for this facility to work). This is a truly fantastic resource. I only wish this were adopted for other places such as hotels and restaurants.

Back on the “passengers with disabilities” section there’s even more information. I can check each train company’s rolling stock for access and facilities, I can check both national and local route maps that show which station have barrier-free access and which don’t, and I can also find out which discounts and concessions are available to me.

A lot of people are aware of the Disabled Persons Railcard. This entitles you and an adult companion to 1/3 off most train fares for £18 per year or £48 for 3 years. What most people don’t realise is that you can still get discounts even without this card, albeit only on “anytime” tickets, and only if you require staying in a wheelchair for your journey. Click here for more info on this.

I’m now armed with a lot more information than I had before, I know which stations have the right facilities for me, and my Disabled Persons Railcard is in the post. I guess I’d better go and check out the service for myself!

If you have any experience of rail travel, train and station facilities (good or bad), fare discounts, or just some good tips and advice, please get in touch with us or just comment on this post.

info@sisonline.org

National Rail Enquiries: 08457 48 49 50    www.nationalrail.co.uk

Scotrail: www.scotrail.co.uk

Disabled Persons Railcard: www.disabledpersons-railcard.co.uk