Equality and Human Rights Commission

The Commission welcomes the opportunity to comment on the proposed Reform of the Blue Badge Scheme.  It previously contributed to debates during the passage of the Disabled Persons Parking Places (Scotland) Act 2009 , when some of the issues raised by the current consultation, such as eligibility and abuse of the system, were raised. 

The Commission believes that the provision of a blue badge is an important aspect of promoting equality for disabled people in the face of a public transport system which is often inaccessible. Whilst it is in the public interest to tackle abuse of the blue badge scheme, there should be an acknowledgement that disability is sometimes hidden and therefore not visible to the eye, and that this may inform the perceived abuse. There should be proper, research based policy decisions so as not to negatively impact on people by excluding them from eligibility.

The Commission's response is now available for download.

Please contact the Policy Team on 0141 228 5910 if you require any further information.