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Local MP Challenges UK Gov on Brexit Blow for Blue Badge Drivers
Gordon MP Richard Thomson has pressed the UK Transport Secretary on the lack of progress in getting recognition from some EU countries for the UK’s Blue Badge scheme.
The move comes after Mr Thomson was contacted by a constituent who had planned a trip abroad and found that their Blue Badge would not be valid for disabled parking.
France, Italy, Spain and Portugal are among eleven European countries with whom the UK Government have not yet completed negotiations to allow the Blue Badge scheme to be recognised abroad.
Commenting, Richard Thomson MP said:
“This is yet another example of something where the consequences of Brexit were either not thought through or simply ignored as something which could be dealt with later by a UK Government which seems less in control of events as time goes on.
“While I don’t expect huge numbers of people will be impacted by this latest Brexit blow, for those whom it affects, like my constituent, it is extremely important. If it weren’t, they wouldn’t have a Blue Badge.
“We have seen quite enough restrictions on the movement of goods and people as a result of the UK Government’s Brexit policy and to find that disabled people are now being affected in a way specific to them is just unbelievable, even from this government. It’s concerning that the Minister in his response to me did not even give an estimated timescale for resolving this.
“It’s time the Conservative Government started trying to anticipate the effects of their policies instead of waiting until the problems they have created cause distress for other people.”
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