I AM both dumbfounded and saddened by the ignorance of the law covering blue badge use shown by your correspondent J T Norbury (Citizen, last week).

Double and single line parking is, and always has been, within the law for a blue badge holder, with a time limit of three hours.

I must stress that Mr Norbury's point that he often sees able-bodied people walk away from cars displaying a disabled badge is very wrong. Looking able-bodied does not always mean one is able-bodied.

There are a vast range of disabilities which are not always visible to the eye, such as cancer, Aids or heart disease, whose sufferers use the scheme.

Mr Norbury should be careful how he chooses his words. These concessions are there to help provide disabled people with some equality with the able-bodied and there are people out there who would gladly swap their parking badges with him for a healthier life.

Or would the writer prefer to go back to the days when it was a shame to be disabled and people were hidden out of the way?

J Dean (address supplied).