A wheelchair-using amputee was reportedly told by a council official that he could potentially run a marathon, as his application for a Blue Badge was turned down.
Nigel Ward, 71, submitted photographs showing him balancing on one leg and seated in his wheelchair when he applied to Norfolk County Council for the disabled parking permit.
Mr Ward lost his left leg above the knee after suffering a medical emergency while on a cruise three years ago. He had been issued a Blue Badge ever since his amputation.
However, the council has rejected his renewal request twice, saying he failed to provide enough medical evidence about how far he can walk.
According to Mr Ward, one council officer even speculated that he might have an undisclosed “spring leg” and could be physically capable of completing a marathon.
The retired wealth investment manager said he is unable to supply further medical documentation because he no longer attends regular appointments after being fitted with a prosthetic limb.
He is now regarded as independent and generally needs help only if a problem develops with his prosthesis or the stump of his amputated leg.
But the pensioner says a fall that left him with a broken femur on his amputated side has severely undermined his confidence in using the prosthetic.
Amputee Nigel Ward, 71, has been asked by his local council to provide further evidence of his disability while seeking to renew the Blue Badge he has held for the past three years
The Department for Transport’s Blue Badge scheme enables people with serious mobility difficulties to park nearer to shops, hospitals and other essential destinations.
Mr Ward said the dispute had caused immense anxiety for both him and his family.
“At the moment, I don’t know where to turn,” he said. “I understand there are concerns about welfare fraud in this country, but I am genuinely disabled.”
He explained that he needs to open the car door as far as possible so he can get out safely with either his wheelchair or walking sticks.
“Since my fall, I’m not confident walking with my prosthesis, and I find even short distances uncomfortable,” Mr Ward said.
“I genuinely believe I need a Blue Badge.”
Mr Ward was travelling through the Caribbean in 2023 when an aneurysm unexpectedly ruptured at the back of his knee.
He received emergency treatment aboard the ship before being flown to the Azores. Doctors later amputated his left leg above the knee after the tissue died.
Mr Ward said the Blue Badge dispute had been “immensely” stressful for him and his family
After further care at Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, Mr Ward was fitted with a prosthetic leg and granted a Blue Badge without being asked to provide additional evidence.
His latest application has since been refused twice by Norfolk County Council.
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He said: ‘I have never been able to walk unaided with the prosthetic limb and I always need to be accompanied for someone to give me my sticks.
‘While I can drive our automatic car, I can’t wear my prosthetic leg because the socket that covers my stump does not fit between the steering wheel and the seat.
‘That means I need assistance in getting to my wheelchair, with the car door open as wide as it can – which is why I need access to disabled parking.’
Mr Ward is calling on the council to seek certification from an expert assessor to verify his disability and re-examine medical evidence he provided three years ago.
He said: ‘I think they (the council) are alluding to the fact that there are certainly people, amputees, who wear prosthetics and who are able to cope and manage quite well, as if it was just an extension of the normal limb’.
‘Now, I’m not in that category. My walking with the prosthetic limb is very limited.
‘I’ve never actually counted, but I doubt that I could walk 50 steps without needing to stop for a few minutes to take a breath.’
Mr Ward’s daughter, Helen Robinson, wrote that she was ‘absolutely appalled’ that her father’s application had been denied by the council.
She said: ‘What more evidence is needed to demonstrate the significant impact that losing a leg above the knee can have on someone’s mobility?
‘Why is someone who has already been recognised as eligible for a blue badge now being put through this process again, having to prove their circumstances all over again? Do you think legs miraculously grow back?
‘Someone at the council actually said this to Dad on the phone, ‘We don’t know that you don’t have one of those spring legs and could run a marathon!’
‘At 71, my dad should not have to face this level of stress and uncertainty just to access the parking support he needs.
‘A blue badge is not a luxury or a privilege to be taken lightly. It can make a real difference to the independence, dignity and everyday life of a disabled person.’
Since sharing his story online, the family have received several messages from people saying they were also struggling to renew their permits.
Mr Ward believes an uptick in fraudulent claims for blue badges has led to legitimate applications being scrutinised more closely.
Norfolk County Council said: ‘We know how important blue badges are for helping people to remain independent. We have to work within the guidance set for us by the Department for Transport, which includes detailed guidance how eligibility should be assessed through evidence and assessments.
‘As detailed on our website, applicants must adequately evidence the difficulties they experience whilst walking, this applies to those reapplying for an expiring Blue Badge as well as first time applications.
‘There is no renewal process, and applicants are required to evidence their ongoing eligibility with each application. Evidence could include letters, reports or details of treatment from a medical professional.
‘Anyone requiring help with a blue badge application or who is unable to use the online application process can call the council’s Customer Service Centre on 0344 800 8020, and we would be happy to provide support and advice.’
