MessageI used to work for the Social Services department that issued Blue Badges (Orange badges at the time) I am assuming the criteria is still the same or similar. Back in 1999/2000 the criteria was that in order to get a badge, a person had to have a permanent disability that restricted their mobility such that they could not walk more than 100 metres before having to take a rest.
Not directly relevant but thought you all might like to know.
Adrian Bamber
----- Original Message -----
From: Bryan Jones
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2004 5:00 PM
Subject: Re: Parking query
In order to qualify for a blue badge one has to have a permanent disabilty. The DDA covers long term disabilites, with long term defined as being 12 months or more, so there is a difference. As to your responsibility to a student on a validated course you may need to speak to your office that deals with these to look at what was agreed in the contract. But at the end of the day, you will probably have to make a judgement call yourself after meeting with the student to suss them out.
Bryan Jones,
Manager, Disability Support Services
& North London Regional Access Centre,
Middlesex University
-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Anna Malone
Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2004 11:32 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Parking query
I have been contacted by someone who experiences mobility difficulties and has asked us to provide him with an occasional, regular parking space on campus. He is using the library as he is a student on a course at a college where we validate their courses. He is not a student of the university.
At the moment we provide free, accessible parking for all students or visitors who have a blue badge. This person does not have a blue badge - he did apply for one but his application was turned down. We are an inner-city campus with very limited parking - there is very little parking on campus for students, with the exception of blue badge holders.
We obviously want to do the best we can for this person but we do not have enough parking spaces to provide accessible parking for people who do not have a blue badge. This person has suggested that under the DDA there is no distinction between a disabled person and a disabled person who has a blue badge - reasonable adjustments must be made and this includes accessible car parking in his case. Although we appreciate his point, we know, for example, that if a person without a blue badge was parking on a public highway or car park in a space reserved for a blue badge holder, then that person would be liable to a fine or clamping and so this suggests that there is a difference. Also, if there is no difference, then why have the blue badge scheme at all?
I am unsure where to go from here. Has anybody else encountered this situation?
Many thanks for your help,
Anna
Anna Malone
Trainee Disability Adviser
Disability Support Office
University of Manchester
LG27 John Owens Building
Oxford Road
Manchester
M13 9PL
Tel - 0161-275-8523
Fax - 0161-275-7018
Minicom - 0161-275-2794
Text - 07899 663512 / 07899 658790
