Northam resident battles for Blue Badge amid parking crisis

A Northam woman has been facing immense frustration in her quest for a disability blue badge, highlighting the difficulties many residents encounter with parking accessibility in Devon.

Carole Poulton, who lives in Burrington, recently shared the plight of her close friend, who has been trying to secure a blue badge for over two years. 

Living on a street with double yellow lines and no nearby parking, she told the Gazette  that her friend struggles with mobility and the exhausting routine of walking back and forth to her car.

After a long day of shopping, she returned home only to be met with further distress. 

Having parked outside her home to unload groceries, a traffic warden issued her a parking ticket. 

Although she successfully appealed against the fine, Carole explained that the ordeal left her in pain and emotionally drained, leading her to rest indoors to recover. 

Carole believes that a blue badge would have prevented this distressing situation.

Despite her struggles and using a stick for mobility, the woman has applied for a blue badge twice, only to be rejected both times. 

In an effort to help her, Carole contacted Age UK, who recommended seeking support from their Devon branch for another application. 

However, upon reaching out to the Devon office, she learned that assessors are reportedly under pressure to deny all but the most severely disabled applicants due to a shortage of suitable parking in the area.

A spokesperson for Devon County Council told the Gazette: “We cannot comment on individual cases. The council administers the blue badge scheme on behalf of the Department for Transport (DfT) and local authorities are required to adhere to core principles contained in the DfT blue badge scheme local authority guidance.”

The spokesperson continued: “Eligibility for the blue badge scheme is not solely determined by the presence or absence of any particular diagnosis or condition. Guidance states that to be eligible for a badge, at the time of assessment, the applicant must be deemed to have a substantial disability that will last for at least three years.”

Furthermore, the spokesperson mentioned that applicants who are denied a blue badge receive guidance on the appeals process and are invited to reapply in the future should their mobility deteriorate, provided they submit additional medical evidence not included in previous applications.