Charging disabled is too much (From Bournemouth Echo)
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Charging disabled is too much
10:23am Thursday 7th March 2013 in Opinion
TIMES are tough, but surely plans to charge disabled drivers to park in council-owned car parks in the New Forest is a step too far.
For many disabled people their car is a lifeline, enabling them to get to places they usually wouldn’t be able to visit.
If they are Blue Badge holders and are resident in the area, they may have little choice but to pay.
By asking disabled people to fork out for parking, it may well reduce the number of trips they make or, if they are visitors, they may avoid the area altogether.
Many disabled people could be on fixed incomes and additional costs will adversely affect their budget.
The cost of parking would be anything from 80p to £4 and the council, which needs to raise revenue, hopes to net about £75,000 a year from this measure.
But this bold, controversial proposal may well backfire, especially when you consider the rising cost of fuel.
Comments(4)
Wackerone
says...
2:22pm Thu 7 Mar 13
s-pb2
says...
4:48pm Thu 7 Mar 13
Blob01
says...
2:48pm Sat 16 Mar 13
Wackerone wrote:I agree!
As a disabled person myself i have often wondered why I get special treatment regards paying in car parks. Just look at some of the cars that some disabled people drive - Range Rovers, Mercs, Rolls Royce's! C'mon, we are no different to the able bodied, some of us are rich and some of us are poor as in all walks of life. What next, free petrol! Could I also add that there are no perks for disabled drivers in Devon, even for those with free tax discs.
rayc says...
11:55am Thu 7 Mar 13
It would be interesting to see the calculations used that led to 'the hopes' that it would raise £75,000 a year.
Will this be another parking measure that leads to negative returns?