Man with Parkinson's wants change over Blue Badges

Matt Couchman says a five-minute walk can often take him more than half an hour

A man with Parkinson's has accused his local council of having a "fundamental misunderstanding" of the condition after he was refused a disabled parking permit.

Matt Couchman, 53, from Norwich, said his Blue Badge application to Norfolk County Council (NCC) was rejected because he was told he had "variable" symptoms and failed to meet the eligibility criteria.

Last year, the charity Parkinson's UK complained about people with the condition being denied Blue Badge renewals by NCC.

The council said it did not issue badges "based solely on age or a diagnosis" and that it went "over and above" recommendations set out by the government.

Mr Couchman called on the council to "rethink how it defined a disability".

"The criteria seems to discriminate against people with a neurological condition," he said.

"The letter says the symptoms of my condition are variable in nature and therefore do not have a substantial impact on mobility… but with Parkinson's any of the symptoms can come and go at any one time."

Mr Couchman, a married father of two girls from the Queen's Hills estate, said his symptoms included stiff joints which often left him temporarily unable to walk.

Parkinson's is a progressive condition caused by a loss of nerve cells in a part of the brain.

About 153,000 people live with Parkinson's in the UK and it is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world.

The Department for Transport sets recommendations on Blue Badge eligibility but local authorities decide on who should have one, often following a physical assessment

Parkinson's UK described the Blue Badge application process as a "postcode lottery", adding that the forms were "too complex and difficult to understand".

An NCC spokesperson said the authority assesses all applications in the same way in line with national guidance.

A statement added: "So that applicants have the best possible opportunity to demonstrate their eligibility, we operate a three stage process including initial assessment, review and appeal process, which goes over and above the recommendations in the national guidance."

An online petition has been set up, calling for people with Parkinson's to automatically be given a Blue Badge. However, there are concerns that other people with disabilities would expect the same.

Mr Couchman, a retired computer programmer who was diagnosed aged 45, said he had appealed the council's decision.