Using a Blue Badge

welbeck

it is not correct to say you can park in residents' bays with a blue badge.
you need to check the local rules.
my cousin got fined for parking in a residents' bay. the badge was properly displayed.
she had to pay the fine.
she was told she should have parked on a yellow line. actually there were hardly any in a small curved residential road, with multiple dropped kerbs and residents' bays.

I think my post about residents permit areas said "some areas" so it is correct. If you are going to a new area where you don't know the rules, you can usually look it up online. I have also found that the authorities are usually very understanding if you do get it wrong, so it is always worth writing to them explaining that so they can take a view.
Wouldn't it be a good idea if the rules were streamlined so all areas were the same? The rules can be very different in London Boroughs and I sometimes find it difficult to work out which one I'm in!

First try to get a Blue Badge .....
DH has reapplied and it will take 3-4 months to make a decision.

In the meantime ???

MaggsMcG

Oh, also there's usually a four-hour limit on parking on double yellows. Thats what your clock is for.

3 hour

I agree, it can be more than confusing. In our town meter parking in any space is free and unlimited. The council car parks require payment but an extra hour is granted.

The next town along the coast offers free parking in all car parks. The nearest city offers free unrestricted parking on meters and some free parking in car parks but not all. I’ve never dared park on a double yellow lime although it is apparently allowed.

When venturing further afield we always check, council rules vary hugely.

Not all pay & Display are free, our area they are not and also check in private car parks as they probably won't be either.

it is not correct to say you can park in residents' bays with a blue badge.
you need to check the local rules.
my cousin got fined for parking in a residents' bay. the badge was properly displayed.
she had to pay the fine.
she was told she should have parked on a yellow line. actually there were hardly any in a small curved residential road, with multiple dropped kerbs and residents' bays.

I agree and where I live Sainsbury's allows 2 hours of free parking for everybody and in a local Aldi, it is only 1.5 hours so one must be on the ball.

I would always check the notice board in any car park. In the main council car park in my nearest town mold you can park for free with your badge but only if in a disabled bay otherwise you must pay. In Denbighshire you pay in the council car parks but get longer for your money if displaying a badge. Every council or supermarket seem to have their own regulations so always check

Teacheranne I agree, a blue badge doesn't solve parking problems completely. And it's stressful going somewhere new.
But for areas you are familiar with, if you follow the guidance and feel it's safe, what about leaving a note on the dashboard beside your blue badge stating if there is a problem please ring this mobile number. I sometimes do that.

I am too scared to use my badge to park on double yellow lines, I think years of driving before I got my badge have indoctrinated me! I would worry all the time that I was causing an obstruction even if I thought it was fine!

I find I need to check every time I use a new car park, there are so many variations on when to pay, which spaces I can use, for how long etc.

I always check on Street Map before need to park somewhere new to see in advance what the parking is like, especially street parking in shopping/restaurant areas. Even with my badge, there are still some places I cannot go as I cannot be sure of getting close enough, I am unable to walk more than a few yards.

In fact, parking is a major anxiety for me and I get very cross with myself for over thinking things!

Thank you that is all very helpful xx

You can park on double yellow lines providing you're not obstructing anything, you're allowed 3 hours ( according to my local council ) but NIT on double yellows where there are 2 lines off edge of the pavement.

Some places are not local council owned and so a Blue Badge does not allow free parking.

I have a Blue Badge and am pretty clued up to the do's and don't's but I dont know if each council sets different rules.

Thanks Icanhandthemback. I should have added that.

I was given a clock with my latest renewal a few years ago, in case I need to use my badge in England. I am in Scotland and LAs will give them out on request.

Grayling1

A wee note just to say that the rules used to be different in Scotland but can't check now as returned DH's badge after he passed away. I do remember however we did not have a clock on it but was aware that English friends up on holiday did have.

My inlaws have a blue badge and there's no clock on them - we are in Scotland.

Grammaretto, no need to leave, we all make mistakes. You do have to be very careful though and I think the rules about Yellow lines with Blue Badges are open to interpretation with some Traffic enforcement officers!

nadateturbe

^You can park however in parking areas which are pay and display, free.^
Only on roads. Not in car parks.

You can actually park in some carparks (usually Council run ones) for free but you always need to check. Sometimes you can park for free in carparks as long as your car tax class is Disabled AND you display the Blue Badge.

A wee note just to say that the rules used to be different in Scotland but can't check now as returned DH's badge after he passed away. I do remember however we did not have a clock on it but was aware that English friends up on holiday did have.

Oh dear! You are correct I canhandthemback.
I am shocked. I thought the reason we had double yellow lines was to make life safer for all road users.

I knew about the road parking only. I was thinking of road parking.
I shall leave the room now, humbly

You can park however in parking areas which are pay and display, free.
Only on roads. Not in car parks.

Remember to always use the blue badge and the clock, I had a fine for not doing that!

Grammaretto

You must never park on double yellow lines.

You can park however in parking areas which are pay and display, free.

I drive MiL around and the blue badge makes a difference. Hospital carparks are impossible though as everone has a badge!

Sorry, you are wrong. You are allowed up to 3 hours on Double Yellow Lines provided you are not causing an obstruction under the Blue Badge Rules.

You must never park on double yellow lines.

You can park however in parking areas which are pay and display, free.

I drive MiL around and the blue badge makes a difference. Hospital carparks are impossible though as everone has a badge!

You can park in any of the bays with a Blue Badge, it doesn't just mean the designated bays. You can park in Resident Permit bays in a lot of areas plus on double yellow lines and wherever there are meters, quite often you can park for free too for as long as you like. I Google an area before I visit to find out what the rules are.
I think it is three hours that you can park on double yellow lines (not the no stopping yellow rlines with stripes on the kerb) but you can't do that in every city. For example, certain areas of London forbid it.

Please double check but I think the limit is 3 and not 4 hours and this is for everywhere.