MP calls for temporary blue badge scheme

4.21.35pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 5th Sep 2006

Local MP, Andrew Stunell has launched a campaign for the Government to extend the blue badge scheme to people who suffer short term mobility disabilities. Currently only blind people and people with a permanent mobility disability can get a blue badge, allowing them to use disabled parking spaces.

Hazel Grove MP, Andrew Stunell said:

"People who are out of action for a few weeks, perhaps after a leg or hip operation, are not entitled to disabled parking spaces, or to have a blue badge. As they recover, they find it difficult to use local amenities and local shops as they often have to use remote parking spaces.

"People who have a temporary mobility disability, such as someone recuperating from an operation should be able to park in disability bays until they are fully mobile again.

"All it needs is a tweak of the rules by the Government to allow a temporary blue badge scheme to be set up for people who suffer from a short-term mobility disability."

A Hazel Grove constituent, who broke her leg in January, said:

"When recovering from my operation, I found it extremely hard to leave the house and use local amenities. When we went out, I was often forced to park in remote places and I simply couldn't walk the distance to the shop, school or wherever we went.

"Ordinary parking spaces are simply not wide enough to get in and out of a car with a wheel chair or if your leg has not got its usual flexibility- access to disabled car parking would solve this problem.

"Issuing recovering patients with a temporary blue badge would be simple to administer and would help the recovery process for thousands of people."