parking with blue badge at work

yaris

Hi I work for Essex fire I have blue badge I used to park in car park on site but found it hard walking to building so I put my car in the yard in disabled bay my manager called me to his office and told me to move it I told him I was disabled and I was in pain that's why I parked there he told me it was for visitors only and told me to move it or he would stop all mechanics working on there cars at lunch times so I went to talk to my top boss
Later on that day they said they would put me space out the front but the bay would be to small for me to open my door it would just be normal size the one they said for visitors is never used and they often store things there help and advice needed

stickywicket

As you know, I'm not a member of the helpline team just an ordinary forum member with a Blue Badge.

Unfortunately, I don't think a BB confers any rights in private parking areas and I guess it's understandable that, if an employer has designated a bay for disabled visitors, he won't want it permanently occupied by an employee. (In any case, we are only allowed 3 hrs parking at any time with the BB.)

I don't quite follow the argument about not allowing his mechanics to work on their cars at lunch time although I do 'get' the thing about the disabled parking area being used as a place to put things. That happens everywhere

If your new allocated space is too small for you to open the door would it make any difference if you parked the opposite way round?

“There is a difference in privately owned car parks. Charges and conditions of use in off-street car parks are a contractual matter between the car park owner and the motorist. Enforcement of parking bays for people with disabilities is therefore a matter for the individual owner or operator of the car park. (http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/misuse-of-parking-spaces-for-disabled-people ) “

helpline_team

Dear Yaris,

Thank you for your enquiry to Helplines. Stickywicket has already made excellent points (thanks .

It may well be a time for using soft skills and negotiating with the parties involved. If you are a union member, and there's a skilled shop steward they might help.

Would you like some more support, you might go to your local Citizens Advice.

What kind of arthritis do you have? Would you like some information about self managing your arthritis - if so send your details to helplines@arthritiscare.org.uk and we can post you an information pack.

You can see more about self managing arthritis here:
http://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/PublicationsandResources/Selfmanagement
Kind regards

Guy

ArtRoc42

Surely in a private car park at work this is all about DDA and "Reasonable Adjustment". I managed to argue it the other way - I don't have a blue badge as I can manage in MOST situations - however parking at work was a big problem. The car park is simply not big enough and if I cannot get a space then the nearest alternative parking is simply too far way. Also at this time, the disabled spaces were simply free for all (disabled or not). I do have Psoriatic Arthritis so I said that it would be a 'reasonable adjustment' if I was allowed to use the disabled spaces. There were also two other people who did have blue badges so they declared that the spaces were for disabled only (hooray) and that I should be given a badge to park there.
In your case the provision was not a 'reasonable adjustment' and they should do better.

[Deleted User]

Hello ArtRoc42
Welcome to the forum, I am sure you will find support, help, advice and light relief here.

I am one of the moderation team, we all have one or more arthritis conditions or look after family with the same. If you need help with the technicalities of the forum please get in touch via a personal message.

Best wishes
ChrisK Moderator