Blue Badge Changes Ahead

4.26.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 17th Jun 2009

Vince Cable MP speaking out in Parliament

The Department for Transport is making significant changes to the rules governing disabled parking badges which will affect Chelmsford residents with disabilities over the next few years. Lib Dem Deputy Leader Vince Cable MP introduced a debate in parliament on the blue badge scheme and has lobbied on behalf of residents with conditions which do not qualify.

Dr Cable said he was "pleased to have confirmation that the government plans to extend the scheme to cover parents with young children with specific conditions (after I took up the case of a baby attached to an oxygen cylinder), temporary mobility problems (like severe, long lasting, fractures) and disabled veterans not currently covered".

The scheme will however be tightened by requiring independent medical assessments (rather than GP notes); confiscating badges when they are used unlawfully by non-badge holders; and generally cracking down on abuse. Vince Cable said; "Few things cause more annoyance, when there are severe parking problems, than people abusing the blue badge scheme. It is right that abuse should be curbed."