simmers said:
You know full well what the question was but I'll repeat it anyway
why shouldn't disabled blue badge owners pay for parking?
Right... I don't think Blue Badge owners should pay for parking for the same reason why you or I shouldn't pay for parking...
We pay road tax, our rates in general and it's just a money making cash cow that has backfired on many councils because many people now avoid town centres because of the parking restraints.
People preferring to go to places such as The Trafford Centre for the free parking, happily pay extra for the products they buy but avoid going into town centres such as Bolton/Bury/Oldham because they are forced to pay for parking.
if Free parking was brought back into many of these centres the use of them would increase.
This wouldn't happen, because of greedy councils.... so why are BB Holders not paying and we are?
Well I'll use an example, my local town Bury....
There is limited free parking in the town centre, the only places to park for free are at Tesco and Argos... Argos is closer to the centre but is still a 5min walk, 10min journey if you're Physically Impaired.
Tesco is great parking, but takes awhile to get to the centre, including crossing over the dual-carriageway.
The only solution for genuinely disabled people is to park closer in the town centre... there are spaces, but not loads.
These spaces are Pay & Display, and if you are disabled you would be using these spaces most of the time so you would be paying more because of your inability to use the car parks more further away that are free....
so the idea is to discourage you and me from parking right in the centre, parking further away, leaving spaces open for disabled people to park closer.
We are discouraged because of the cost, disabled people are encouraged because it is closer parking.
But as I said in my first point: parking is shit in these town centres such as Bury and many people, including badge owners just go elsewhere such as The Trafford Centre which is more convenient.
Why should genuinely physically impaired people be penalised for needing to park closer to their destination?
The councils charge for this parking, it isn't their fault councils charge.
There will be/are people taking the piss who hold these badges, but is this the fault of genuine people who are physically impaired?
Most people who are physically impaired need these badges, and use them when they need to... excluding themselves for incurring parking charges because of their disability.
it is shit that we have to pay for parking, right now I can park further away and I actually prefer the exercise... unluckily for some they can't have a jog into town and easily carry heavy shopping bags all the way back to their vehicles like I can...