Don't let your blue badge expire, warns driver caught after council stopped sending reminders (From Thisisdorset)
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Don't let your blue badge expire, warns driver caught after council stopped sending reminders
7:00am Wednesday 16th January 2013 in Latest
Don't let your blue badge expire, warns driver caught after council stopped sending reminders
A DISABLED motorist fined because her blue badge had expired 10 days previously is waging a one-woman campaign to warn others.
Bernadine Wembridge, who has chronic rheumatoid arthritis and has had a blue badge for 17 years, used to receive a renewal reminder from Bournemouth council every three years.
But she was unaware Bournemouth council had stopped issuing reminders to residents and only realised her blue badge had expired when she parked in a disabled bay at Castlepoint and received a £60 fine.
Mrs Wembridge, of Broughton Close in Redhill, had the fine reduced to a £10 administration fee but is so concerned other drivers will be expecting a council reminder that she has designed posters to display in her local shops.
“She also has a sign in her car warning other blue badge holders to check their expiry dates.
She said: “Nobody at the council made any effort at all to warn us the system was changing and we would no longer get a reminder.
“We are sent reminders for car tax, insurance and everything else. You only renew your blue badge every three years. I’m sure plenty of people rely on a reminder to tell them when it needs renewing.
“I feel the council has let us down badly.”
Stuart Walters, customer services manager at Bournemouth council, said: “From January 1 2012 the blue badge parking scheme transferred to one central company appointed by government who are responsible for producing and distributing all blue badges.
“Bournemouth residents can continue to apply and renew their badge by contacting the council directly. The council no longer issues renewal reminders. However, residents are advised to note when their badge is due to expire and submit a renewal application at least four weeks before the expiry date.”
A spokesperson for Devere parking services said: “As I understand it, very few councils still issue reminders so it is incumbent on blue badge holders to check it is still in date.
“We try to run our business in a fair manner and, in this case, we reduced the fine to a small £10 administration fee,” the spokseman added.
Comments(13)
TD61
says...
8:15am Wed 16 Jan 13
We live in a society where it's always *someone else's fault*. Can no one rely on *themselves* for anything anymore?
Isosceles
says...
8:50am Wed 16 Jan 13
tricky1007
says...
10:04am Wed 16 Jan 13
TD61 wrote:Exactly! What happens if she had of moved just before a reminder was sent out?! People want others to do everything for them now, take responsibility for your own life!!!
I have a Blue Badge and have had for almost 10 years, yet I always know when it is due to expire and send in my application before it runs out.
We live in a society where it's always *someone else's fault*. Can no one rely on *themselves* for anything anymore?
speedy231278
says...
11:14am Wed 16 Jan 13
Non story. Move along. Nothing to see.
polblagger
says...
11:38am Wed 16 Jan 13
THEY ARE UNENFORCEABLE SPECULATIVE INVOICES.
bosco1
says...
12:02pm Wed 16 Jan 13
Imaximus
says...
12:27pm Wed 16 Jan 13
contric
says...
1:07pm Wed 16 Jan 13
Imaximus
says...
1:26pm Wed 16 Jan 13
contric wrote:Your quite right. I dont need reminders. My car tax is due the end of this month, My car insurance is due in June, The MOT runs out in June also, My driving licence runs out in 8 years (due to photograph needing changing), My TV licence is paid by direct debit so never runs out and my house insurance is due in December. I thank you :-)
imaximus says deal with it i think that is what mrs wemblebridge has done and also been very nice to warn others to beware but of cause people like you know everything like tv license expiry date when your driving license runs outwhen your car insurance and house insurance is due you dont need reminders
kingstonpaul
says...
1:32pm Wed 16 Jan 13
For instance, if you go to the Asda car park, I reckon that probably only about 25% of blue-badge users are legit.
The abuse of the blue-badge scheme is a scandal. It says much about the moral state of the UK that so many people exploit and abuse the scheme.
scrumpyjack
says...
2:16pm Wed 16 Jan 13
kingstonpaul wrote:Completely agree. It has to be one of the most abused systems in the country.
Dunno why anyone bothers with using the 'official' channels these days. I'm sure that the majority of blue-badge users are frauds, and/or abusing the parking privileges intended for disabled family members.
For instance, if you go to the Asda car park, I reckon that probably only about 25% of blue-badge users are legit.
The abuse of the blue-badge scheme is a scandal. It says much about the moral state of the UK that so many people exploit and abuse the scheme.
And it is not a 'class' thing either, I have seen £80k Mercs and £500 bangers all clearly using a Blue Badge fraudulently.
And before any jumps in yes I am sure there are times when you cannot see the disability but equally there are times when it is so blatant it's appalling.
And of course there are the mix between the two - take nana out with you and leave her in the car on her own while you park where you like. Seen many a Range Rover and Merc doing just that in Westbourne.
Carolyn43
says...
6:45pm Wed 16 Jan 13
Lord Spring says...
8:10am Wed 16 Jan 13