Disabled Parking Bays

Guidance notes for On-Street Disabled Parking Bays, please read these notes before completing the on-line form, alternatively, you can download a copy of the form below.

• Introduction
• Who qualifies
• Is there a charge
• Suitable locations
• Procedure, timescale and enforcement
• Consultation
• Removal of on-street disabled parking bays

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Introduction

The increasing demand for parking in the Borough has led to particular difficulties for disabled people who need to park close to their homes. The borough is able to provide on-street disabled parking bays on a public road under powers in the Road Traffic Act 1984, for those people that have serious difficulties in walking, but only where there is a clearly identified need and it is feasible to do so.

Residents may apply for a disabled bay to be provided as close as possible to their home. However, there are a number of factors that have to be considered in order to assess such requests and to ensure that there is a practical location to site a disabled parking bay.

Due to the pressure on parking, the Borough needs to be confident that any disabled bay will be fully utilised by the intended users. Should a parking bay be used only occassionally, it is likely that non-disabled motorists will ignore the disabled parking bay, therefore, defeating its' purpose.

It must be remembered that possession of a blue badge does not automatically entitle someone to an on-street disabled parking bay in the vicinity of their home. Only those who have serious difficulties in walking can be granted a disabled parking bay and it has to be established whether an applicant's condition warrants consideration of such a facility.

It must also be remembered that a disabled bay is not person specific and can be used by any blue badge holder. Also, any vehicle using a disabled bay must always display a current disabled persons' blue badge.

Who qualifies

To qualify for a disabled parking bay, the following conditions must be met:

• The applicant holds a recognised blue badge and is resident adjacent to the proposed location for the disabled parking bay.
• The applicant has a permanent and substantial disability such that walking is not possible or presents very considerable difficulty for more than short distances.
• The vehicle used is registered to the badge holder's address and kept at that address.
• There is no access to off-street parking. If there is a garage, driveway or an off-street area where a vehicle can be parked, the application will not be considered.
• There must be a suitable location on the public highway. We cannot provide places on private land.
• There are existing parking problems on the road which prevent the disabled person parking in a location convenient for their property.
• Any application requires the active support of Social Services.

However, on occasion, other mobility problems or factors may justify a disabled parking place, depending upon individual circumstances. These will be considered at the discretion of the Council.

Is there a charge

There is no charge for an on-street disabled parking bay, which is provided and maintained at the Borough's expense.

Suitable locations

Although we will try to meet any request to locate a new disabled bay as close as possible to an applicant's house, we cannot guarantee that a disabled bay would be located immediately outside a particular property. Some locations may be totally unsuitable for the location of a disabled parking bay.

On-street disabled parking bays cannot be provided where they might result in a traffic or road safety problem, or cause problems of access to adjoining properties. Whilst parking may presently occur at a particular location, any new marked bay must meet sensible guidelines.

We cannot provide a disabled parking bay where the width of the road would mean that a parked vehicle using the bay would cause obstruction, ie. there would need to be sufficient road width remaining for an emergency vehicle to pass. A disabled parking bay cannot be located within 10 metres of a junction or within an area of road intended as space for turning vehicles (even if parking presently occurs in these areas).

In areas where there are already on-street waiting restrictions, it may not be possible to amend these restrictions in order to permit the introduction of an on-street disabled parking bay. Such requests will be reviewed on an individual basis.

It should also be remembered that the presence of on-street disabled parking bay in an area where car parking spaces are in short supply can generate a great deal of ill feeling, especially if there is a perception amongst neighbours that the applicant's condition does not warrant a bay.

In instances where it proves not to be possible to site a disabled parking bay in a convenient location, officers will work with the applicant requesting the bay in order to investigate whether alternative measures to improve access may be appropriate.

Procedure, timescale and enforcement

Previously, many of the disabled bays introduced by the Council have been advisory only, and have not been enforceable, relying instead of the goodwill of other drivers not to park there. However, in the light of increasing parking pressures across the Borough, these are no longer considered appropriate. Advisory restrictions alongside enforceable restrictions elsewhere are likely to cause confusion to motorists, as well as making the enforcement of restrictions more difficult for the Borough's parking attendants.

The Council will therefore introduce formal disabled parking bays for all future requests for on-street disabled parking provision. The standard size of a marked bay is 6.6 metres long by 2.7 metres wide, although depending upon circumstances, the width can be made slightly wider or narrower. Each bay will have the appropriate sign ' disabled badge holders only' mounted on a post adjacent to this bay.

Unfortunately, the process to introduce a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) to enable the bay to be enforced by the Council's parking attendants takes a number of months. This process is unavoidable, and is necessary to ensure that anyone illegally parked in a disabled bay would receive a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).

The time from application to having a bay marked out can be up to six months.

Consultation

Social Services run the Blue Badge scheme. They are responsible for assessing the severity of the applicant's disability and the maximum reasonable distance a bay could be located from their house. Any application requires the active support of Social Services.

As with any other parking restriction, we are required by law to consult on the introduction of any disabled parking bay. Only the location of the proposed bay is advertised, not the applicant's name or the nature of their disability.

Any objections received about a scheme will be considered by Councillors.

Removal of on-street disabled parking bays

In order to ensure that any disabled parking bay is fully utilised by the intended users, the Council will monitor the use of the disabled parking bays and reports of abuse recorded.

Whilst we would expect residents to tell us if a bay is no longer required, we will also occasionally send a letter to residents who have a disabled parking bay asking them to confirm that their bay is still required by the disabled badge holder. Whilst the disabled blue badges are renewed on a three yearly basis, this will allow us to review such bays in the light of changing circumstances, such as a disabled resident moving house or passing away.

The Council will remove on-street disabled bays that are no longer required by the intended user.

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Guidance notes and Application Form

•   Disabled Parking Bays Guidance Notes (pdf 33KB)

•   Disabled Parking Bay Application Form (pdf 27KB)