81-year-old Worcester Park man has parking badge taken off him after not meeting criteria

11:07am Thursday 30th August 2012 in Sutton By James Pepper

War hero stripped of blue badge after walking too well War hero stripped of blue badge after walking too well

A war veteran who needs two sticks to aid his walking has had his Blue Badge for disabled drivers taken away.

Roy Hamilton, 81, who received a medal for his bravery during the Suez crisis in 1956, has had a disabled blue badge for five years and regularly complains of having no feeling below his knees.

Despite this, and the fact he uses two walking sticks, at his most recent meeting with Sutton Council officials said he no longer needed the badge, which allows him to park in specific bays, because he walked well.

Mr Hamilton said: "I have a numbness in my legs which means I keep falling over, because I can't feel anything I always cut and bruise them and I don't realise. How they can say I don't need a blue badge, I just don't know."

After being invited to the council offices, Mr Hamilton was told to walk a small distance with the assistance of his walking sticks to demonstrate how badly he needed his parking badge.

But after completing the test without falling over, Mr Hamilton was later informed by post that he no longer qualified for a blue badge.

He said: "I have a 100 year old sister who I take out quite a lot and I need that blue badge to get parked up. Without it, we will not be able to get out as much."

A council spokesman said: "Mr Hamilton did not meet the mobility criteria for a Blue Badge, his case has been reviewed by The Occupational Therapy Team Manager who has written to Mr Hamilton explaining the decision not to award a badge but also explaining he can reapply if his mobility deteriorates substantially.

"It is always difficult for applicants when a scheme such as Blue Badges changes. In Sutton we want to ensure that people who meet the criteria do get a Blue Badge."

In January 2012 issuing of Blue Badges changed to a national scheme, with councils having to follow national guidelines.

Comments(20)

Binsanity says...
3:28pm Thu 30 Aug 12

I'm so sorry Roy but the fact you are a war veteran and take your 100yr old sister out to the shops does not immediately qualify you for a blue badge. I have many friends who are less mobile than yourself and they are able to get around without a blue badge. Maybe the fact you have driven all your life and are able to help your sister, keeps you independent, outgoing and driving. Please Roy don't think that I have, in anyway, shown you disrespect, only an honest opinion. Take care old forces.

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Michael Pantlin says...
4:17pm Thu 30 Aug 12

It's not possible to make an accurate assessment of a chronic condition like this in a minute or two. The gentleman says he falls over and I think he is telling the truth. If he had fallen over during the test he may have hurt himself more. I suggest appealing against the decision with some independent evidence if available. Otherwise reapply when condition changes. If he was an illegal who didn't speak the language or was not honest and put it on it would probably have been another story. I tried to help a very elderly frail lady apply for an LBS Taxicard a year or so ago. She was having a terrible time trying to manage on the bus. Not knowing what they are like she went to the Civic Offices and the first question was How did you travel here today. The honest lady said by bus whereupon she was immediately told she would not qualify as she used the bus. These folk pay their Council Tax and have worked through their lives and then are rejected in their hour of need at a great age. I can understand their frustration even if anyone else cannot. Yes Council money is "tight" but not for frittering away on pet projects such as the Life Centre and the High Street Fiasco.

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Hove Ex-Pat says...
4:37pm Thu 30 Aug 12

Roy, next time you fall over in the street, or getting off a bus, might I suggest that while you are waiting for the ambulance you get someone to take numerous photographs of you in your agony. Also phone the council while you are still on the ground. Every one in your position has good days & bad days. Shame on the council. I wish you well.

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Binsanity says...
4:47pm Thu 30 Aug 12

Hove Ex-pat says.
Where in this article does it state Roy fell over in the street or getting of a bus. He "drives" which is the blue badge issue and the one we are discussing. Please keep up and try not to encourage people to bend the law.

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Tony L Martin says...
5:47pm Thu 30 Aug 12

Binsanity wrote:
Hove Ex-pat says.
Where in this article does it state Roy fell over in the street or getting of a bus. He "drives" which is the blue badge issue and the one we are discussing. Please keep up and try not to encourage people to bend the law.
Paragraph 4: Mr Hamilton said “I have a numbness in my legs which means I keep falling over”.
If he can’t drive he will probably need to take the bus.

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Hove Ex-Pat says...
5:48pm Thu 30 Aug 12

Binsanity wrote:
Hove Ex-pat says. Where in this article does it state Roy fell over in the street or getting of a bus. He "drives" which is the blue badge issue and the one we are discussing. Please keep up and try not to encourage people to bend the law.
I did not say he had in the past. But when he has bad days in the furure, he will need to document them to prove that he needs his badge. Come on nobody in his condition & at his age will improve. And at no point did I suggest he breaks the law. So now who is adding things?

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Binsanity says...
7:46pm Thu 30 Aug 12

Let's cut to the quick. If he keeps getting a numbness in his legs and keeps falling over, should he be driving, full stop. Sadly your quite right his condition wil not improve and that is a fact of life. Just as sad is that the fact we must be objective and realistic even for an old soldier. I hope Roy has more good than bad days. Regards.

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hawk1979 says...
8:51pm Thu 30 Aug 12

May I just quote 'A war veteran who needs two sticks to aid his walking has had his Blue Badge for disabled drivers taken away'. And yet the picture used shows Roy Hamilton walking with ONE STICK.

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Michael Pantlin says...
10:00pm Thu 30 Aug 12

hawk1979 wrote:
May I just quote 'A war veteran who needs two sticks to aid his walking has had his Blue Badge for disabled drivers taken away'. And yet the picture used shows Roy Hamilton walking with ONE STICK.
Biosanitary just nicked the other stick to help his arguement.

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edstar says...
11:41pm Thu 30 Aug 12

Michael Pantlin wrote:
It's not possible to make an accurate assessment of a chronic condition like this in a minute or two. The gentleman says he falls over and I think he is telling the truth. If he had fallen over during the test he may have hurt himself more. I suggest appealing against the decision with some independent evidence if available. Otherwise reapply when condition changes. If he was an illegal who didn't speak the language or was not honest and put it on it would probably have been another story. I tried to help a very elderly frail lady apply for an LBS Taxicard a year or so ago. She was having a terrible time trying to manage on the bus. Not knowing what they are like she went to the Civic Offices and the first question was How did you travel here today. The honest lady said by bus whereupon she was immediately told she would not qualify as she used the bus. These folk pay their Council Tax and have worked through their lives and then are rejected in their hour of need at a great age. I can understand their frustration even if anyone else cannot. Yes Council money is "tight" but not for frittering away on pet projects such as the Life Centre and the High Street Fiasco.
If you are an "illegal" surely you wouldn’t go to the council as you are trying not to get noticed.

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eeberaees says...
11:57am Fri 31 Aug 12

It is not for us to judge if Mr Hamilton requires a blue badge or not, that is the job of the professionally trained mobility assessors. Unfortunately these people do not appear to have any common sense therefore fail at their jobs frequently.

If you need further assessment in order to decide whether you meet the criteria for a blue badge within the London Borough of Sutton you are very unlikely to be given a fair and honest assessment. I have proof of negligence, dishonesty, incompetence and inefficiency by these "professionally trained mobility assessors".

I suspect that Mr Hamilton was given an unfair pointless assessment with little care taken or thought given to how the sloppy way in which they carry out the assessments will affect a needy person's life.

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CPN says...
3:48pm Fri 31 Aug 12

Surely the crux of this is in the last sentence: "In January 2012 issuing of Blue Badges changed to a national scheme, with councils having to follow national guidelines." ie Sutton have been forced to change their issuing guidelines.

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CPN says...
3:48pm Fri 31 Aug 12

Surely the crux of this is in the last sentence: "In January 2012 issuing of Blue Badges changed to a national scheme, with councils having to follow national guidelines." ie Sutton have been forced to change their issuing guidelines.

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CPN says...
3:48pm Fri 31 Aug 12

Surely the crux of this is in the last sentence: "In January 2012 issuing of Blue Badges changed to a national scheme, with councils having to follow national guidelines." ie Sutton have been forced to change their issuing guidelines.

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CPN says...
3:50pm Fri 31 Aug 12

Sorry! - I only wrote it once - promise!!

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eeberaees says...
11:07am Sat 1 Sep 12

TfL did make major changes which included appointing independent mobility assessors (usually physiotherapists and occupational therapists) to do the assessments. GP's are no longer involved. TfL give them guidelines but there is a lot of control left in the hands of the local authority.

For example you could live in one borough and they may decide 50m is the maximum distance they will assess you at; the borough next to you may decide 100m is their limit. Some boroughs will observe you on stairs, others won't (but report that they have!), some will take you outside to observe you in more realistic surroundings whilst others decline to do this because it means involving health and safety. Its a postcode lottery.

Also, TfL have no authority to intervene in decisions made by local authority, it is at the discretion of the local authority to decide and "choose" their successful applicants. They will use the Tfl guidelines booklet as a get out clause but they have misinterpreted the word guidelines for rules.

All we ask is that they do the jobs they are paid to do. When one person fails you would expect their senior to put things right, but it would appear one person is as incompetent as the next. Even the complaints department do not act in an ethical manner so good luck with that if you lodge an official complaint Mr Hamilton.

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kingstonpaul says...
1:43pm Mon 3 Sep 12

The injustice here is that it's the wrong folks being targeted. The extent of abuse of the blue badge scheme is plain to see in any supermarket car park every single day of the year. I wouldn't mind betting that half the badges out there are fraudulent.
When you see a top of range 4X4 with black-out windows pull into a disabled space, a heavily tattood and stud earinged driver emerging, you just know that people are taking the p**s.

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Nigel Wise says...
9:01am Wed 5 Sep 12

The qualifying requirements for a Blue badge have been severely tightened up.

See:

http://www.richmond.
gov.uk/1b_blue_badge
_eligibility_criteri
a.pdf

You will need to copy and paste the above link into your browser.

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Nigel Wise says...
9:10am Wed 5 Sep 12

The article states that Mr Hamilton is a 'War Veteran'. If Mr Hamilton receives a War Pensioner’s Mobility supplement he would automatically qualify for a blue badge.

See:

http://www.direct.go
v.uk/en/DisabledPeop
le/MotoringAndTransp
ort/Bluebadgescheme/
DG_181208

You will need to copy and paste the above link into your browser.

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eeberaees says...
9:46am Wed 5 Sep 12

Disability is not exclusive to a particular group of people - rich, poor, old, young, tattooed, smokers, non smokers etc can all be disabled - you should never judge if a person is disabled or not by their appearance or what car they drive, that's just ignorant - one day it could be you.

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