Call for disabled parking reform

Disabled drivers are subject to a "postcode lottery" when seeking parking concessions, according to MPs.

The Commons transport committee said on Tuesday that people entitled to 'blue badges' were missing out because of where they lived.

It said that eligibility for a blue badge should be based on more than an applicant's ability to walk, and called on ministers to help people with a range of disabilities.

The report added that people with short-term or temporary disabilities should be given concessions, with the minimum issue period for a badge reduced from three years to one.

Using "smart card" technology would increase flexibility over the issuing of badges, it said.

"This is a fundamental matter of fairness: a person's entitlement to a blue badge should not depend on where he or she lives," the committee said.

Chairman Louise Ellman said: "The parking needs of people with disabilities must not be decided by what is effectively a postcode lottery.

"There must be greater consistency in the way in which the eligibility criteria for blue badges are applied across the country, and those who use stolen badges must face the consequences. This is a fundamental matter of fairness."

The report also called for tougher action against people using the badges fraudulently, with car park operators held to account if they failed to address the issue.

Meanwhile, according to the Times newspaper, some local authorities are ignoring the requirement for applicants to have a mobility assessment and accepting recommendations from a GP to supply a badge.