The blue badge parking scheme in Wales has been expanded to include people experiencing temporary but substantial injuries or illness.
The expanded scheme, which provides parking concessions to people with disabilities, will now offer temporary, 12-month badges for those recovering from or awaiting treatment for serious illnesses or injuries.
Examples may include people recovering from complex leg fractures, stroke, head injuries, and those recovering from cancer and whose recovery has had an effect on their mobility.
Economy and Infrastructure Minister Ken Skates AM said: “The blue badge scheme helps provide access to services and facilities for those with the greatest need. It plays a vital role in improving access to employment and services for people with disabilities across Wales.
“To date, it has been limited to people with permanent impairments, whilst many with substantial but temporary injuries have been deemed ineligible. Extending eligibility by introducing these temporary badges ensures consistency and fairness in the way it’s delivered and means that more of those who need the blue badge have access to it.
“At the same time, limiting the criteria to people who have an impairment lasting 12 months or more ensures that a Blue Badge continues to be reserved for people with the greatest mobility needs.
“Wales now has the widest eligibility criteria in the UK – something to celebrate and build upon as we look to make Wales as accessible as possible to all.”
Surely people who are recovering from or awaiting treatment for a serious illness or injury should not be behind the wheel of a car, and this is just another costly scheme that will be widely open to abuse, who exactly will assess whether somebodies temporary injury is serious enough to warrant a blue badge for 12 months. How many of us have witnessed somebody get out of a car displaying a blue badge with nothing wrong with them whatsoever. Yes there is a need for blue badges for those with genuine disabilities, but questions need to be asked when somebody is given a blue badge merely for being overweight or have respiratory problems as a result of smoking.
Paul says;”Surely people who are recovering from or awaiting treatment for a
serious illness or injury should not be behind the wheel of a car,”, Under the regulations of the blue badge scheme, the person with the disability does NOT have to be the driver; it simply allows the benefits derived from having a blue badge to be used by that disabled person being `in the car`, i.e that the jurney is for the benefit of the person with the disability. The problem is that Paul; Pete, or anyone else will never be able to accuratly judge if the person utilising the blue badge is the person to whom it is issued, only the enforcement authority can do that; A badge will have only been issued AFTER medical evidence has been scrutinised by the issueing authority, after which it is down to the police to enforce the rules. And there lays another tale;