Author: Licensed Life

People who have hidden disabilities will soon be able to access Blue Badge parking permits.

Who will now get Blue Badge parking permits?

The Blue Badge parking permit helps drivers park closer to their destination if they are disabled. Now the Blue Badge parking permit scheme will now encompass those with hidden disabilities. Those who will now be able to access a Blue Badge parking permit are drivers or passengers with dementia, anxiety disorders, autism, and reduced mobility. The change will come into force on 30 August, the government said.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said he hoped the change would make “a real difference to people’s lives”.

“As a society, we don’t do enough for people with hidden disabilities,” he said.

The UK Government said it would provide an extra £1.7million to help councils cope with the expected increase in applications.

Not everyone with non-physical disabilities will be able to qualify for a Blue Badge as it is up to the local authority to decide if an applicant meets the eligibility criteria, as is currently the case.

Why has the new measure been introduced?

The new measure has been warmly received, as it will shine a light on those whose disabilities are not physically visible and how they have been excluded from accessing disabled facilities.

Minister for disabled people Justin Tomlinson said: “It’s unacceptable that people with hidden disabilities still face discrimination when using disabled facilities like parking spaces.”

“Extending the Blue Badge scheme is a watershed moment in ensuring those with hidden disabilities are able to travel with greater ease and live more independent lives.

Jane Harris, director of external affairs at the National Autistic Society, said: “The changes will make a huge difference to thousands of autistic people and their families across England – helping them to go out in the way many others take for granted.

“Just leaving the house is incredibly difficult for many autistic people – and involves detailed preparation. Some autistic people have no concept of the dangers of the road while others are so anxious about plans going wrong, like not being able to find a parking space, that they don’t go out at all. Having a Blue Badge will be life-changing and help many to reduce loneliness and isolation.”

A new change in the law has been introduced this month, which sees motorists instantly land a fine on the motorway.

What is the new motorway law?

From now on motorists can be fined £100 and land three penalty points if they ignore a lane closure on a smart motorway. A smart motorway is a section of a motorway that uses active traffic management methods to increase capacity and reduce congestion in, particularly busy areas. Smart motorways are set to become more commonplace in the U.K, so it’s important you get to grips with this new law.

Variable speed limits can be displayed on the gantries which are overhead and will help to ease the traffic flow. Closed lanes on these motorways can be marked by a red X. If a red X is displayed overhead then a driver should not travel in it. A driver caught in a lane with a red X displayed overhead can land a £100 fine and three penalty points.

Why is the new motorway law being introduced?

Edmund King, AA president said: “Although it has taken far too long, this is a welcome measure to improve safety on motorways.

“Our research shows that one in 20 drivers continue to drive in red X lanes, even when they’ve seen it and, so far, Highways England have written warning letters to over 180,000 drivers about their actions.

“Red X’s are put up to warn of an obstruction, so drivers must get out of the lane when they see them.

“We have had several incidents recently where AA members’ cars have been hit in a live lane on ‘smart’ motorways.”

RAC spokesperson Simon Williams said: “Our research found drivers understand very clearly what red Xs mean, yet worryingly far too many appear to have driven under one, dramatically putting themselves at risk of encountering a stationary vehicle or a worker in their path, and all the horrific consequences that could have.”

New noise camera technology will be trialled to crackdown on motorists who disturb communities with their noisy vehicles.

What will the noise cameras do

The purpose of the technology is to measure the sound levels of passing vehicles to detect those that are breaking the law on noise limits. The camera technology could also use automated number plate recognition to help enforce the law.  The trial is not targeting drivers who follow the law, instead, those who flout laws on noise. All vehicles must legally meet strict noise limits before they are allowed on the road. Once a vehicle is in service, exhausts and silencers must by law be maintained in good working order and not altered to increase noise.

The trial of the noise cameras will determine whether the legal noise limit has been breached by taking into account the class and speed of the vehicle relative to the location of the noise camera.

Why are the noise cameras being introduced

Research commissioned by the Department for Transport found that a noise camera system could help tackle extremely noisy vehicles which breach legal noise limits.

Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling said: “Noise pollution makes the lives of people in communities across Britain an absolute misery and has very serious health impacts.

“This is why I am determined to crack down on the nuisance drivers who blight our streets.

“New technology will help us lead the way in making our towns and cities quieter, and I look forward to seeing how these exciting new cameras could work.”

Studies have also shown the damage that exposure to noise can have on someone’s health and wellbeing – with heart attacks, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and stress all linked to long-term contact with loud environments.

Who is in favour of the noise cameras being introduced?

CEO of the Motorcycle Industry Association, Tony Campbell, said: “With growing pressure on the environment, including noise pollution, illegal exhausts fitted by some riders attract unwanted attention to the motorcycle community and do nothing to promote the many benefits motorcycles can offer.

“All manufacturers produce new motorcycles that follow strict regulations regarding noise and emissions and we welcome these trials as a potential way of detecting excessive noise in our community.”

New data reveals where you are most likely to land a fine and have a ticket cancelled in the UK.

What the data says about where you are most likely to get a speeding ticket

Finance provider Moneybarn has analysed UK government data to discover the hotspot for fines in the U.K.

According to Moneybarn’s data, motorists in Avon and Somerset received the largest number of fixed penalty notices for speeding with 199,337 issued last year. That is the equivalent to 548 tickets being issued every day. There are around 800 speed cameras in the area and also 3,000 police officers who can also issue fines for driving offences.

Following Avon and Somerset is West Yorkshire where 174,796 fixed penalty notices were issued last year. London Metropolitan is third place with 135,430 tickets fixed penalty notices being issued last year.

Where are you least likely to get a speeding ticket?

According to the data, police forces in Gwent are least likely to hand out fixed penalty notices with only 242 FPNs being issued last year. Gwent only has just eight active speed cameras, so there appears to be a correlation with the number of speed cameras present with the number of fines being issued. Following Gwent in the list of where you’re least likely to be given a fine are Dyfed–Powys Police who only issued  793 FPNs.

Where are you more likely to get fines cancelled?

The research also looked at where you were most likely to get a fine cancelled. City of London topped the list, with 63% of FPNs being cancelled. Police in Cambridgeshire, Greater Manchester, London Metropolitan and Bedfordshire complete the top five. North Wales police are least likely to cancel a fine, with just 1.29 per cent of fines void.

Reasons why fixed penalty notices may be cancelled:

The NIP has incorrect details about the nature, time or location of the alleged offence. (Spelling mistakes and typos don’t count)

The alleged speeder was not driving when the offence took place

Missing or incorrect road signage for speed limits

The speed measuring equipment had not been calibrated or was being misused

What Moneybarn has said of the findings

Tim Schwarz, Head of Marketing at Moneybarn, said of the findings: “The latest government data reveals interesting results for speeding offences across England and Wales, with a difference of nearly 200,000 FPNs between the highest and lowest regions.

“While the government introduced new speeding fines in 2017, it’s encouraging to see continued efforts to tackle speeding offences across the UK.

“The next step is to make speed limiting technology compulsory in all vehicles sold from 2022. If successful, this could potentially eradicate the need for FPNs altogether in the future.”