The Blue Badge Scheme
Parking concessions for
disabled and blind people
ScoFinal 16/2/00, 3:24 pm 2
2204 IndivBlueBadgeEngScoFinal 16/2/00, 3:23 pm 1
This leaflet is available in large print, Braille and
audio tape formats. Contact 020-7944 2914 or see
page 13 for details.
CONTENTS
This Blue Badge Scheme advisory leaflet explains:
what the Scheme is and who may be eligible for a badge 2
how to apply for a badge 3
where the Scheme does not apply 4
arrangements in Central London 4
the on-street places where the badge may be used 6
where you should not park 7 – 8
the position on wheelclamping and removal of vehicles 9
how the badge should be displayed 9
the limitations on badges used by institutions 9
where a parking disc/clock is required 10
the responsibilities of the badge holder 10
the penalties for misuse of a Blue Badge 11
the penalty for misuse of a designated Blue Badge bay 11
what other concessions for badge holders may be available 12
new traffic signs 13
what alternative media versions of this leaflet are available 13
what number to ring for general enquiries about the Scheme 13
1
WHAT IS THE BLUE BADGE SCHEME?
The Blue Badge Scheme provides a national arrangement of parking
concessions for people with severe walking difficulties who travel either
as drivers or passengers. The Scheme also applies to registered blind people,
and people with very severe upper limb disabilities who regularly drive
a vehicle but cannot turn a steering wheel by hand. It allows badge holders
to park close to their destination, but the national concessions apply only
to on-street parking. Details are set out in section 9 of this leaflet. In addition,
other concessions may be available to badge holders – see section 17.
2
The Blue Badge Scheme is effectively a replacement for the Orange Badge
Scheme. The new European style Blue Badge was introduced from
1 April 2000, as existing badges come up for renewal, or as new applications
are processed. Orange Badges will therefore continue to be recognised until
31 March 2003.
3
YOU CAN GET A BADGE IF:
• you receive the higher rate of the mobility component of the Disability
Living Allowance
• you receive a War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement
• you use a motor vehicle supplied for disabled people by a Government
Health Department
• you are registered blind
• you have a severe disability in both upper limbs, regularly drive a motor
vehicle but cannot turn the steering wheel of a motor vehicle by hand
even if that wheel is fitted with a turning knob
• you have a permanent and substantial disability which means you are
unable to walk or have very considerable difficulty in walking. In this
case you may be asked to answer a series of questions to help the local
2
authority determine whether you are eligible for a badge. People with a
psychological disorder will not normally qualify unless their impairment
causes very considerable, and not intermittent, difficulty in walking.
(Note: Children under two years of age do not qualify for a badge
because they would not normally be expected to be able to walk
independently. Organisations caring for disabled people meeting one
or more of the above criteria may be able to get a badge, but this is
entirely at the local authorities’ discretion and the conditions for using
such a badge must be strictly observed – see point 3 in section 11.)
4 WHERE TO APPLY
If you think you may be entitled to a badge you should apply:
In England and Wales
To the Social Services Department of your County, Unitary, Metropolitan
District or London Borough Council.
In Scotland
To the Chief Executive or Social Work Department of your local Council.
Your local authority will decide if you are eligible for a badge. There is
no right of appeal against their decision if you do not meet the
eligibility conditions.
5 PHOTOGRAPHS
The Blue Badge is a two-sided card with space for a photograph of the
badge holder on the back of the card. Your application should, therefore,
be accompanied by 2 reasonably recent photographs, which you should sign
on the back. You may send passport-type photographs taken from self-service
booths or any suitable photographs cut down to a passport photo size.
3
6
WHERE THE SCHEME DOES NOT APPLY
• The Scheme does not apply on private roads.
• The Scheme does not apply in off-street car parks. However, some
may provide spaces for disabled people. You should check the signs
to see what concessions are available, and whether Blue Badge holders
have to pay. Always display your Blue Badge when occupying one
of these spaces.
• The Scheme does not apply in certain town centres, where access is
prohibited or limited to vehicles with special permits issued locally.
• The Scheme does not apply in Central London, but some facilities
are provided (see sections 7 &
.
• The Scheme does not apply on the road systems at some airports (e.g.
Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester). You should therefore contact the
airport concerned in advance to check the car parking arrangements.
7
CENTRAL LONDON
• The Scheme does not apply in the following areas in Central London –
the City of London, the City of Westminster, the Royal Borough of
Kensington and Chelsea and that part of the London Borough of
Camden, bounded by and including the borough boundary, Euston
Road, Upper Woburn Place, Tavistock Square, Woburn Place, Russell
Square, Southampton Road, Theobalds Road and Clerkenwell Road.
• They also offer a limited range of concessions to other disabled people.
These generally consist of parking spaces reserved for Blue Badge
holders and some form of concessionary parking at meters in Westminster
and Kensington and Chelsea after the initial period of parking has
been paid for.
4
• If you are planning to visit Central London and intend to use your
badge you may wish to check first with the authorities concerned.
Details of the concessions provided in each authority can be obtained
from:
Corporation of London Kensington & Chelsea
Parking Services Information Office
Department of Technical Services Parking shop
Corporation of London 19-27 Young Street
PO Box 270 London W8 5EH
Guild Hall, London EC2P 2ET Tel: 020-7361 4258
Tel: 020-7332 3399
Camden Westminster
Disabled Permits Section Disabled Parking Office
PO Box 20219 PO Box 6100
London NW1 1WS London SW1P 1FG
Tel: 020-7681 4655 Tel: 020-7641 5123
More information about parking in London for Blue Badge holders can
be obtained from the Transport Committee for London on 020-7747 4700.
Brent
Ealing
Hounslow
Wandsworth
Lambeth
Southwark
Islington
Hackney
CITY OF
LONDON
Tower
HamletsCAMDENWESTMINSTERHammersmith andFulham
5
8
RED ROUTES
• Red routes are main roads in Greater London where stopping (for parking
or loading) is not allowed except at designated times and in specially
marked places. Some of these places are specifically reserved for Blue
Badge holders, but you should always check the signs to see what
concessions are available. A vehicle displaying a Blue Badge may stop,
but only to pick up or set down the badge holder.
• Transport for London has general information on concessions for
Blue Badge holders on roads subject to priority (Red) route controls.
This can be obtained by telephoning 020 7941 2010.
9
WHERE TO PARK
Parking Benefits
Badge holders may park free of charge
and without time limit at parking meters
on-street and “pay-and-display” on-
street parking unless a local traffic
order, specifying a time limit for
holders of disabled parking Badges,
such as a ban on loading, is in force.
Conditions
The Blue Badge must be
displayed.
Badge holders may be exempt from
limits on parking times imposed on
other users. (Check local signs for
information).
The Blue Badge must be
displayed.
Badge holders may usually park on
single or double yellow lines for up
to three hours in England and Wales,
or without any time limit in Scotland
except where there is a ban on
loading or unloading, and at a few
locations where local schemes
apply – e.g. the area of Central
London coloured light blue in the
map in section 7.
The Blue Badge must be displayed,
and in England and Wales the
special blue parking disc must
also be displayed showing the
time of arrival.
There must be an interval of at least
one hour from a previous period of
waiting before the same vehicle
can be parked in the same road or
part of a road on the same day.
6
IF IN DOUBT, DISPLAY THE PARKING DISC (see section 12).
10 WHERE NOT TO PARK
The Blue Badge is not a licence to park anywhere. You must NOT park:
• during the time a ban on loading or unloading is in force (normally
indicated by one or two yellow marks on the kerb at the times shown
on post mounted plates).
For example:
No loading
Mon - Fri
8.00 - 9.30 am
No loading 4.30 - 6.30 pm
at any time
Loading prohibited Loading prohibited for any
24 hours a day, lesser period. The arrow
7 days a week, for at least indicates the direction
4 consecutive months. in which the prohibition starts.
However, in pedestrian areas, waiting and loading restrictions may be
in force even where there are no yellow lines shown on the road or
kerb. Details of any restrictions in force will be shown on plates
displayed at the kerb side of the road.
• where there are double white lines in the centre of the road even if one
of the lines is broken
• in a bus or tram lane during its hours of operation
• in a cycle lane
• on any clearway, double or single red lines during their hours of
operation
• on all pedestrian crossings – including Zebra, Pelican, Toucan and
Puffin crossings
7
• on zig-zag markings before and after Zebra, Pelican, Toucan and
Puffin crossings
• in parking places reserved for specific users e.g. permit holders only,
loading bays, taxis, cycles
• on a residents parking bay, unless there are signs showing that you may
do so, or you have checked with the local authority’s Highway
Department that you may do so
• in suspended meter bays or when use of the meter is prohibited
• where temporary restrictions on parking are in force along a length of
road e.g. as indicated by no-waiting cones
• on school “keep clear” markings during the hours shown on a yellow
no-stopping plate.
You must also NOT park where it would be obstructive or cause
a danger to others. The following are likely examples:
• at school entrances, bus stops, on a bend, or near the brow of a hill
or hump bridge
• where it would make it difficult for others to see clearly e.g. close
to a junction
• where it would make the road narrow e.g. by a traffic island or where
roadwork is in progress
• where it would hold up traffic e.g. in narrow stretches of road
or blocking vehicle entrances
• where emergency vehicles stop or go in and out e.g. hospital entrances
• where the kerb has been lowered or the road raised to form
a pedestrian crossing
• on a pavement unless signs permit it.
8
REMEMBER
• If you park where it would cause an obstruction or danger to other
road users your vehicle could be removed by the police. You could
also be prosecuted and your badge withdrawn.
• Vehicles cannot legally be wheelclamped on the public highway
for parking offences provided a valid Blue Badge is correctly
displayed on the vehicle. But you should be aware that if you park
improperly on privately owned land you may risk having your
vehicle wheelclamped.
• The vehicle must be moved if a police officer or a traffic warden in
uniform requests it.
11 HOW TO USE THE BADGE
• You must display the badge on top of the dashboard or facia panel of a
vehicle with the front of the badge (i.e. the side showing the wheelchair-user
symbol) facing forward so that the expiry date is legible from outside of
the vehicle when using the parking benefits. If the vehicle does not have
a dashboard or facia panel you must exhibit the badge in a conspicuous
position so that the relevant details are legible from outside the vehicle
when using the parking benefits.
• The badge should only be displayed when using the parking benefits
under the Scheme, except if the vehicle is being driven by someone
other than the badge holder for the purpose of entering or leaving
an area (which is accessible only to vehicles displaying a Blue Badge)
in order to pick up or drop off the badge holder (see section 15).
• Similar badges given to organisations caring for disabled people must
not be used by non-disabled members for their own benefit. These
badges must not be on display except when the vehicle is being used
for the benefit of disabled people.
• Badges last for three years only. When you need a new one apply to the
issuing authority for reassessment some weeks before the badge expires.
• You must return the badge to the issuing authority if you no longer need it.
9
12 HOW TO USE THE SPECIAL PARKING DISC
In England and Wales you will need a parking disc (which you can get from
the authority issuing the badge) when you park on yellow lines or in a
reserved parking place for badge holders which has a time limit. The disc
must be displayed every time you park and set to show the time of arrival.
Disabled people living in Scotland who intend to visit England or Wales
should be able to get this disc from their local Council.
13 YOUR DUTIES AS A BADGE HOLDER
The purpose of the Scheme is to allow you to visit shops and other places.
You must ensure that you use your badge with care and attention to the rules.
• It is your responsibility to ensure that the badge is used properly.
It is in your own interest that the badge should retain the respect of
other motorists. Please play your part.
• You must not allow other people to use the badge. To reduce the risk
of this happening accidentally, you should remove the badge whenever
you are not using the parking concessions except in the circumstances
listed at the end of section 15.
• You must ensure that the details on the front of the badge remain
legible. If they become unreadable, the badge must be returned to the
local authority for re-issue.
10
• You should not use the badge to allow non-disabled people to take
advantage of the benefits while you sit in the car. Although it is not
illegal for a badge holder, or a non-disabled person waiting for the badge
holder to return, to remain in the vehicle while the Blue Badge is displayed,
consideration should be given to using a car park wherever possible.
14 IF YOU ARE A DISABLED DRIVER
Remember that if you are a disabled driver and your disability is such that
it is likely or may become likely to affect your ability to drive (even if your
car is adapted) the law requires you to inform the Driver and Vehicle
Licensing Agency, Swansea SA99 1TU.
15 MISUSE OF A BADGE
Misuse of a Blue Badge is a serious offence.
• Your badge can be withdrawn if you misuse it or allow others to misuse it.
• It is a criminal offence for non-disabled people to use a badge. If they
do so, they are liable to a fine of up to £1,000.
• It is a criminal offence to drive a vehicle displaying a Blue Badge unless
the badge holder is in the vehicle, or the vehicle is being driven by
someone other than the badge holder for the purpose of entering or
leaving an area (which is accessible only to vehicles displaying a Blue
Badge) in order to pick up or drop off the holder.
16 MISUSE OF A DESIGNATED BLUE BADGE BAY
Non-disabled people who park in a bay designated for Blue Badge holders
are liable to a parking fine.
11
17 OTHER CONCESSIONS FOR BADGE HOLDERS
• In many areas local authorities provide reserved parking places for badge
holders. You should use these spaces in preference to parking on yellow
lines. Local authorities may impose a time limit on the use of such spaces.
You must always display a valid badge when occupying one of these spaces,
and if a time limit is in force a parking disc must also be displayed.
• Some local authorities also waive charges in their own off-street car
parks. You are advised to check the notices in the car park to see if,
and where, you can park free of charge.
• Badge holders are exempted from tolls at certain river crossings.
Further details of these concessions may be obtained by writing to
the Department for Transport, Disability Policy Branch, Mobility and
Inclusion Unit, Zone 1/18, Great Minster House, 76 Marsham Street,
London SW1P 4DR, or by calling 020-7944 2914.
• With the introduction of the new European-style blue badge, badge
holders will be able to take advantage of the applicable disabled
motorists parking privileges wherever they are in the European Union.
Further details of the benefits available may be obtained by contacting
the Department for Transport as shown in section 18.
More information on the Scheme, including a number of fact sheets (such as toll
concessions and parking in central London) and a version of this leaflet are available
on our web site at:
www.mobility-unit.dft.gov.uk/index.htm#concessions
12
18 NEW TRAFFIC SIGNS
Revised Traffic Signs Regulations are in the process of being introduced,
which include new sign designs – this means any new or replacement signs
erected after the revised Regulations come into effect will have to incorporate
the blue badge symbol, but existing orange badge signs will continue to
be valid until 1 January 2010.
This leaflet is also available in Braille, large print and audio tape formats.
You can contact the Department for Transport at the address below for
further details.
Department for Transport
Disability Policy Branch, Mobility and Inclusion Unit
Zone 1/18, Great Minster House
76 Marsham Street
London SW1P 4DR.
or by calling 020-7944 2914.
For enquiries in respect of Scotland and Wales, please contact:
National Assembly for Wales
Transport Policy Division
Cathays Park
Cardiff CF10 3NQ.
or by calling 02920 826501
Scottish Executive Development Department
Transport & Local Roads Division
Area 2E
Victoria Quay
Leith
Edinburgh EH6 6QQ.
or by calling 0131 244 0860/0869
Additional copies of this leaflet are available quoting ref T/INF/222 from:
DfT Free Literature
PO Box 236
Wetherby
LS23 7NB
Tel: 0870 1226 236
Text phone: 0870 1207 405
Fax: 0870 1226 237
E-mail:
dft@twoten.press.net
Produced by the Department for Transport
© Crown Copyright 2000. Printed in the UK in January 2003
on paper comprising 80% post consumer waste and 20% ECF pulp.
Product Code T/INF/222
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