Just to add this to topic as it may help to expand the discussion
Extract below full read advised
Nuala Toman, Head of Policy at Disability Action Northern Ireland, said: “We’ve been quite disappointed in recent months around the debate that has emerged in the context of the scheme and the emphasis that has been placed on the idea that disabled people would misuse or abuse the Motability scheme, when we know it is a lifeline for disabled people, and there are lots of changes that have been discussed, raised, and highlighted that did create a negative perception of disabled people.
“For example, the emphasis being placed on luxury cars, with some brands now being removed from the scheme, and, there is a focus on making distinctions between different types of disability and adapted cars versus non-adopted cars, and we’re seeing this is moving towards a hierarchy of disability and in this context then there is this introduction of smart telematics for drivers under 30.
“And so firstly, the short journeys and red score thresholds. So disabled people rely on Motability vehicles for multiple short journeys. So one of the criteria for having access to a blue badge is inability to walk the length of a swimming pool and so if someone has a badge to ensure they can park adjacent to where they are, you know, to their point of destination, then that journey could, on the basis of criteria around accessing a blue badge, be less than 50 metres, you know, so for some disabled people a journey of more than 50 metres is too much.