Introduction

1.2   Under the scheme, Blue Badge parking permits can be issued to people who meet Blue Badge eligibility criteria.

1.3   The scheme provides a national range of on-street parking concessions to badge holders. It allows them to park without charge or time limit in otherwise restricted on-street parking environments and to park on yellow lines for up to three (3) hours unless a loading ban is in place.

1.4   Badge holders are also entitled to apply for other concessions, for example on toll charges (see GOV.UK) or exemption from London Congestion Charges (see Transport for London). Badge holder rights and responsibilities are published on GOV.UK.

1.5   Concessions apply only when:

• the badge holder is part of the journey, i.e. travelling in the vehicle as the driver or as a passenger, and
• the Blue Badge is displayed where it can be clearly read through the front windscreen

1.6   The scheme applies to people who have severe and enduring (i.e. lasting more than three (3) years) mobility problems due to a disability and as a result while walking between a vehicle and their destination may:

• experience very considerable difficulty in walking or psychological distress
• be at serious risk of harm or pose serious harm to other people 

1.7   The person’s ability to walk from a vehicle to their destination may be limited by:

• a physical disability or 
• a condition such as a learning disability, a mental health disorder or some other non-visible (‘hidden’) disability which puts them or other people at risk of serious harm

1.8   The scheme also applies to:

• children under the age of three (3) who need to be near a vehicle at all times because they have a condition that may require urgent treatment or who must always be accompanied by bulky medical equipment
• drivers who have a severe disability in both arms and are unable to operate / have considerable difficulty operating some or all types of parking meter 

1.9   Responsibilities for the Blue Badge scheme are split between:

• The Department for Transport which is responsible for the legislation that sets out the framework for the scheme including:

• • the prescribed descriptions of disabled people to whom a badge may be issued, for example, the eligibility criteria
  • the maximum fee that can be charged by local authorities for issue of a badge
  • the period of issue of a badge
  • the grounds for refusal to issue a badge and the grounds to withdraw a badge
  • the circumstances in which a badge should be returned to the issuing authority
    the manner in which a badge should be displayed
  • the national concessions available to badge holders under the scheme

• local authorities which are responsible for the day to day administration of the scheme and for parking enforcement in their area.

1.10   Gloucestershire County Council (we/the council) manages Blue Badge responsibilities in Gloucestershire through its:

• Blue Badge team which administers the Blue Badge scheme, and
• Parking Services which are responsible for parking enforcement and investigating blue badge fraud and misuse 

1.11   This policy sets out how the council’s Blue Badge team will administer the Blue Badge scheme. 
For information about parking and enforcement, please see our parking page.