Using your own transport
This section covers rights issues facing people driving their own vehicles and focuses primarily on the issues facing disabled people when they encounter public spaces, for example while parking. Find out about applying for or retaining a driving licence on the basis of age or disability.
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Parking
There are currently a number of ‘Blue Badge’ schemes that provide a range of parking benefits for disabled people who travel either as drivers or as passengers. These operate throughout the UK.
The benefits apply to on-street parking and include free use of parking meters and pay-and-display bays. Badge holders may also be exempt from limits on parking times imposed on others and can park for up to three hours on single yellow lines as long as they are not causing an obstruction (except where there is a ban on loading or unloading or other restrictions).
You may qualify if you:
• receive the higher rate of the mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance
• receive a war pensioner’s mobility supplement
• use a motor vehicle supplied by a government health department
• are a registered blind person
• have severe disability in both upper limbs and drive a motor vehicle regularly but cannot turn the steering wheel by hand, even if that wheel is fitted with a turning knob, or
• have a permanent and substantial disability which causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking.
For more information, visit the Directgov website.
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Misuse of parking bays
It is an offence to park a vehicle that is not displaying a badge in a Blue Badge parking bay. If you see a vehicle inappropriately parked, you should report it to a traffic warden (or parking enforcement officer), the local police or the local council (which is responsible for issuing badges).
Police officers, traffic wardens, local authority parking attendants and civil enforcement officers have the right to inspect Blue Badges. It is an offence to refuse or fail to produce a badge for inspection, without reasonable excuse. This offence carries a maximum fine of £1,000.
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'Off-street' disabled parking bays such as supermarkets
Most disabled persons’ parking bays in off-street car parks (such as supermarket car parks) are not covered by Blue Badge scheme regulations. Car parks and parking bays like these are likely to be privately owned and managed by the individual business. The agreement, and any cost to use them, will be between the owner and the motorists/customers.
If you are a disabled motorist (or passenger) and you complain to, for example, a supermarket that a non-disabled motorist has parked in a disabled bay, an employee of the store could ask the driver to move their car from the disabled bay, but they will not be able to insist on it under the law.
For more information, visit the website of pressure group Baywatch.
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