Melksham’s blue badge holders face discrimination

THE use of parking bays allocated for disabled drivers in Melksham has come under the spotlight following a letter in Melksham News.

The letter-writer, himself a blue badge holder who is entitled to park in the disabled bays, in our last issue criticised others who were using the parking spaces at Sainsbury’s in Melksham when appearing to be not disabled. He described them as ‘selfish shoppers’ and ‘inconsiderate, insensitive members of society’.

However, his comments sparked response from readers highlighting the issues they have as blue badge holders. They say that whilst they recognise some people do abuse the system, many are genuine disabled blue badge holders despite appearances to the contrary.

Mrs Hunt from Melksham said, “While I agree completely that a lot of non-disabled people do use them I must point out that just because someone walks unaided to the shop it doesn’t mean they are not disabled.

“I have a blue badge but to look at me get out of my car and walk you would assume there is nothing wrong.

“I have chronic internal problems that are not outwardly obvious and many  times i have been pulled up for parking in these bays, being accused of ‘using my mother’s badges’.”

Mrs Baker also from Melksham agreed, “Just because you cannot actually see the disability that a person is coping with it does not mean that is doesn’t exist, or that they are abusing the blue badge system.

“I applied for the badge because I needed it and was accepted on my medical history and my on going health problems.

On more than one occasion I have had to show the badge to people who have shaken their head in disgust when I have parked my car in the disabled bay.”

Sainsbury’s say they work to ensure that only bona fide blue badge holders park in their allocated bays. The supermarket stated, “We are vigilant about how we monitor the use of parking bays in our car parks and take abuse of disabled spaces very seriously. We use full-time car park attendants and mobile patrols also carry out random checks.

“Anyone found parking in a disabled bay without displaying a valid blue badge is issued with a £60 parking charge. Last year we were highly commended by Disabled Motoring UK for our continued year on year improvements to reduce misuse of our disabled bays.”

Another reader has highlighted difficulties faced by disabled drivers who park in the town car park behind Iceland and then walk to the shops. He described a major concern about there being no pedestrian crossing and said that speeding traffic has no regard for disabled people who are perhaps slower at crossing the road.