Your Views
I’m stuck without my Blue Badge
HAVE felt so angry and frustrated over the past three-and-a-half months about the council withholding my Blue Badge.
When I read the two articles in the Independent I thought I just had to come forward and support the people concerned. I know how they must feel.
My Blue Badge expired on the January 31 and I applied to the Civic Centre for it to be renewed in good time on January 3.
After filling in various forms and undertaking a formal assessment at the Civic Centre, I am still waiting to find out if I qualify.
My GP said he was surprised I had been rejected and wrote a letter supporting my application explaining that I have a congenital dysplastic hip and disc degeneration in the spine caused through osteoarthritis - for which there is no cure.
When I went for the assessment I was glad I had my wife and wheelchair with me as I wouldn't have been able to get home after taking the walking tests.
Without the Blue Badge, I have been housebound apart from shopping in Enfield Town on Sundays with my wife.
On Sundays the car park is not so busy and we park on the top floor of the car park away from the lifts, hoping no-one will park next to us. I also cannot park in Tesco's disabled bays as they impose a £70 fine on non Blue Badge holders.
My wife has had to take time off work and take me to my GP a couple of roads away as finding a parking space is difficult.
The reason given for using assessments and not asking GPs to verify that an applicant meets the criteria is to avoid compromising the doctor/patient relationship.
I don't think the Department for Transport meant that medical evidence should be neglected in favour of the observations of an assessor who is not a doctor or medical consultant.
I think Enfield Council needs to rethink its strategy on eliminating bogus
Blue Badge holders as it seems to be causing unnecessary stress and suffering to people who have genuine disabilities.
Name and address supplied
9:54am Thursday 1st May 2008
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