Present: 28
Apologies: 5

Introductions
Catherine welcomed everyone to the meeting and asked them to introduce themselves.
Parking Services distributed copies of presentation, the PEP survey and the Guide to disabled parking in Hackney booklet.

Disability Hackney was unable to attend as advertised.

Parking Consultation
Hackney Council is holding a review of its Parking Enforcement Plan. The new strategy will last for 5 years and they are consulting with as many people as possible in the next few months.

Parking Services provide the following for Blue Badge holders:

• Blue Badge Fraud Team
• Disabled Parking Bays
• Companion Badges

• Manage demand and need
• Ensure correct parking
• Maintain flow and safety
• Prepare for 2012 Olympics
• Improve air quality and CO2 emissions

1. disabled resident parking
2. disabled parking (non residential)
3. resident parking
4. essential worker in the delivery of public service
5. registered carers
6. doctor parking
7. local business essential parking/servicing
8. short-stay shopper/visitor parking
9. long-stay shopper/visitor parking
10. long-stay commuter parking

• At the end of the session 7-8 people stated that they did find that the companion badge met their needs, this was not reflected during the main discussion
• No, if we have a Blue Badge (BB) why would we need a Companion Badge (CB)?
• No, I cannot use it in any other boroughs
• I have heard people were refused CBs if they had a rent issue
• No, wardens still give me tickets
• No, I live on an estate
• It is too difficult to get a CB
• I do not have a car but my family do, they cannot have a CB so I cant have visitors
• Get ticket for parking on the wrong side of road (different borough)
• No, the information is wrong and confusing
• Several members did say that they used their CBs and found them useful
• I don't understand what it is for

• Both
• It's a cost issue, remaking signage would be expensive
• Could the CB be scrapped?- no, its unlikely
• Wardens do not understand what the CB is
• Can it be better linked with BB
• It needs to be applicable on estates
• Home care agencies do not have any permit

• Carers do not get any type of permit currently
• Both should get a permit
• All types of carers should get a permit, not just registered
• I have to use my vouchers for my carer
• Carers should get free permits, disabled people should not have to pay for carer to park
• Elderly people without cars should have a permit to give to family members to use so they can visit, go shopping etc.

• Many disabled parking bays have been changed to loading bays
• In Dalston the bays have been taken up by police
• Disabled bays information is not up to date, people are continuously asked if they are using their bay and records are not being updated
• I don't want to talk to an automated service (when calling the parking team)
• I didn't know that BB holders got 50% off visitors permits
• There is no clear information about services
• Staff at the parking shop are not trained in disability equality and show little understanding
• Traffic wardens regularly ticket cars in parking bays because they don't know changes to CB rules
• Lack of confidence in service
• Parking spaces are allocated to individuals, yet they are open to anyone to park in.
• People apply for a parking bay outside their house but cannot stop others from parking in it. This makes residents parking very difficult.
• Why have a bay in place for an individual but not monitor it?
• Social services have a database of BB holders; can't a better system be put in place to monitor offences?