Disabled
Persons' Parking Badge Scheme
(The Blue Badge Scheme)
4. Options
for Change - Concessions
4.1
Introduction
4.1.1
The concessions available to holders of a Disabled Persons' Parking Badge
apply only to on-street parking. Vehicles displaying badges may park on
yellow lines for a maximum of three hours in England, Wales and Northern
Ireland (in Scotland there is no time limit). Badge holders are not allowed
to park where there is a ban on loading and unloading or where there is
a bus or cycle lane in operation. Authorities are able to impose a time
limit on parking by badge holders in the on-street spaces reserved for
them.
4.1.2
The scheme's concessions have never applied in the City of London, the
London Boroughs of Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea and part of
the London Borough of Camden.
4.1.3
Many participants in the discussion groups felt the parking concessions
are essential to the quality of life and social inclusion of disabled
people. It was recognised, however, that there are a number of areas where
the concessions could be strengthened or improved.
4.2
Local Disabled Persons' Parking Schemes
4.2.1
In some areas, local authorities have introduced disabled persons' parking
schemes available to local residents only. It has been suggested that
this is a response to what they perceive as problems created on their
roads because of the number of badges on issue.
4.2.2
The discussion groups generally agreed that these local schemes should
be discouraged since they undermine the value of the badge and exclude
disabled visitors from using local facilities.
4.2.3
We would welcome recommendations on whether such schemes should be discouraged,
and the appropriate form of any such discouragement.
4.3
Exemptions
4.3.1
Similarly, there were strong arguments against the four central London
Boroughs referred to in Paragraph 4.1.2 remaining outside the national
scheme.
4.3.2
We would therefore welcome views on whether this exemption should continue
and, if so, on what grounds.
4.4
Length of Time
4.4.1
There have been suggestions that the time limit of three hours for parking
on yellow lines is too short for those who need longer, for example if
their workplace has no off-street parking space. On the other hand, some
people in the discussion groups in Scotland, where there is no time limit,
pointed out that spaces are occupied on a first-come first-served basis
and therefore are occupied all day by those going to work, to the detriment
of others.
4.4.2
On the other hand, parking on yellow lines is considered a problem from
a traffic management perspective. It is suggested that some local authorities
introduce loading restrictions for this reason in places where they would
not otherwise be deemed necessary.
4.4.3
Recommendations on the concessions are invited.
Return to Press Notice
Published: 17 December 2001
[ Previous ] [ Contents
] [ Next ]
Top of page
|
