Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Blue badge holders get new concession

Blue Badge holders in Denbighshire will now be allowed to park for an extra hour in council car parks.

The announcement has been hailed by Plaid Cymru – the Party of Wales on the County Council, who maintained that blue badge holders were discriminated against.

Previously Denbighshire County Council gave no concessions for people with blue badges at council run car parks.

Plaid Cymru warned that this went against the Equalities Act 2010 and argued that people with mobility issues needed more time to compensate for their disability.

Plaid Cymru Councillor Glenn Swingler, said: “This is excellent news and I thank Denbighshire County Council for listening to our arguments.

"As things stood the council were discriminating against people with mobility issues. Those with Blue Badges have them for a reason. If someone has mobility issues it takes longer for them to do their shopping, for instance, than others who do not have any mobility issues. This is why we argued that it was only fair and right that the Council gives people with Blue Badges an extra hour."

In July Cllr Swingler said, “The Equalities Act 2010 makes clear that public bodies must provide ‘reasonable adjustment’ for blue badge holders. The current policy doesn’t give that reasonable adjustment, and I’m afraid that we could therefore be in breach of the Equalities Act.

"By giving an extra hour or so on top of the parking ticket then this could be deemed as ‘reasonable adjustment’, and I would be happy to support such a change in policy."

Denbighshire County Council’s report states: “It is proposed to give Blue Badge holders an extra hour of parking in all Denbighshire pay and display car parks as a "reasonable adjustment" in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.

"This will work by the Civil Enforcement Officers allowing an additional hour on top of the time printed on the pay and display ticket.”

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