Parking

The Blue Badge Scheme is the main scheme in Britain which provides special parking rights for vehicles carrying drivers or passengers with disabilities. It came into being on 1 April 2000, replacing the former Orange Badge Scheme, and is (Western) Europe-wide in scope, while the Orange Badge Scheme only operated in the United Kingdom.

A Blue Badge is issued by the local authority social services department where a person lives, subject to medical confirmation of need (usually from a GP). It includes a picture of the holder, which is not visible when it is correctly displayed in a vehicle, and comes with a blue cardboard "clock" which is used, where necessary, to indicate the time at which the vehicle was parked.

The main entitlements of a Blue Badge holder are:

in England and Wales, outside Central London, to park free of charge (a) indefinitely at street-side parking facilities (meters & pay-and-display zones), unless a local notice restricts the time allowed; (b) for up to three hours (measured from the time shown on the "clock" mentioned above) on single and double yellow lines, provided that the vehicle is not causing an obstruction; (c) in dedicated spaces for badge holders on public roads (including "Red Routes" in the Greater London area), sometimes subject to restrictions of time.

in Scotland, to park free of charge (a) indefinitely at street-side parking facilities (meters & pay-and-display zones) and on single and double yellow lines, provided that the vehicle is not causing an obstruction, unless any local notice restricts the time allowed (the texts hint that this never happens, but are not explicit ...); (b) in dedicated spaces for badge holders on public roads, sometimes subject to restrictions of time (again, the texts hint that this never happens, but are not explicit ...).

it seems very hard to get precise information about Northern Ireland, but one leaflet says "concessions [are] identical to those available in the rest of the UK", whatever that might mean.

in Europe (which really means Western Europe) the same provision as is afforded to local Blue Badge holders.

in the Congestion Charge Zone in London, free access provided that one registers (annually) with the relevant authority: see http://www.cclondon.com

The main exclusions affecting Blue Badge holders are:

in Central London (the City of London, the City of Westminster, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and part of the London Borough of Camden south of the Euston Road and near the West End), separate schemes apply;

it is not permitted to use a Blue Badge to park in a bus or cycle lane or (usually) in residents-only parking, or where and when loading restrictions apply. [Since some bus lanes and some loading restrictions only apply within specified time limits, this can be tricky to get right.]

Near LSE, the facilities for Blue Badge holders in Camden are very poor - the spaces in Lincoln's Inn, for example, are only available to holders of Camden's Green Badge; the facilities for Blue Badge holders in Westminster are pretty good . Westminster dedicated bays for Blue Badge holders are time-limited to 4 hours (no return within one hour) on weekdays, though they are unlimited at weekends. - there are seven dedicated parking bays within  walking distance, namely in: 1 in Portugal Street (often full); 1 in Sheffield Street (new, apparently rarely used); 3 in Surrey Street (rarely all full); 2 in Temple Place (also rarely both full).

[There are also four spaces in Bow Street and one in Tavistock Street, in Covent Garden, but after lunchtime they are usually full.]

In Westminster, a Blue Badge holder is allowed to park for one extra hour at a parking meter or in a pay-and-display zone. (this useful for short visits to LSE, especially at weekends)

The Blue Badge Map for central London is reachable via the Association of London Government's website. Note the following extract: "A Blue Badge user guide is attached with a map of central London indicating areas where blue badge holders may park their car in the capital. is available in pdf format below ( please note this file is very large and may take some time to download). "To order a hard copy e-mail info@alg.gov.uk with 'Please send me a Blue badge map' in the title."

Special Schemes in Central London, are operated as follows: Green Badges in Camden; Red Badges in the City of London; Purple Badges in Kensington & Chelsea; White Badges in Westminster.

Further information

There is a sixteen page government booklet about "Parking concessions for disabled and blind people", available from: DfT Free Literature, PO Box 236, Wetherby LS23 7NB tel: 0870 122 6236 email: dft@twoten.press.net the Door to Door website.

This gives disabled people information and advice about all aspects of transport and travel. Do check it out at Door to Door: a travel guide for disabled people the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee today published its Annual Report 2003-2004. The Committee provides independent advice to the Secretary of State on the transport needs of disabled people. It also advises on disabled people’s needs in the built environment. Printed copies of the Annual Report 2003-2004 are available from:

DfT Free Literature, PO Box 236, Wetherby,
LS23 7NB Tel: 0870 1226 236 Fax: 0870 1226 237.

It is also on the DPTAC site.

Further information and contacts

• Camden: Disabled Permits Section, PO Box 20219, London NW1 1WS tel: 020-7681 4655
• Transport Committee for London: 020-7747 4700

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