Blue badges
Applying for a blue badge
Blue parking badges allow cars carrying people who are
registered blind or people who have severe walking difficulties to
be parked near shops, stations and other facilities.
Blue badges can only be issued to people who meet the
eligibility criteria, not to relatives or carers. They can be used
in any car the badge holder is driving or is a passenger in.
We can help by providing parking concessions for people with
severe walking difficulties so that they can leave their
vehicles close to shops or other places they need to
visit.
The blue badge
scheme is open to any Tower Hamlets resident who is:
- registered blind
- receives mobility allowance
- receives the higher rate mobility component of disability
living allowance
- uses a disabled person's car supplied by a government
department
- receives a war pensioner's mobility supplement
- a child under two with specific medical conditions
If you are not automatically eligible we
may determine your eligibility by assessment.
Blue badges can only be issued to those who
are eligible and are not given to relatives or carers. They can be
used in any car the badge holder is driving, or in which he or she
is a passenger.
It is an offence under the Road Traffic
Regulation Act 1984 to display a badge on a vehicle when it is not
being used to transport the badge holder.
Download a
blue badge scheme application form (pdf 54k)
Parking with a blue badge
Disabled parking bays are for blue badge
holders and are provided at various locations throughout the
borough, especially near hospitals, clinics and public
buildings.
View these bays on our online map viewer.
Vehicles displaying blue badges can also
park:
- on single or double yellow lines (except
where there is a ban on loading or unloading) for up to 3 hours.
Clocks must be displayed.
- free of charge and without time limit where
on-street Pay & Display parking facilities apply. e.g. in
pay & display bays and shared use bays. The disabled badge must
always be correctly displayed (see below).
Where can't I park?
A badge must not be used to park in any of the following
places:
- Where a loading ban is in force
- Where there are double white lines in the centre of the road
(even if one of the lines is a broken line)
- In a bus lane during its hours of operation
- In a cycle lane
- On a pedestrian crossing area
- In a bay marked for other types of vehicles, such as an
ambulance, taxi or loading bay
- In a
residents or business only bay
- On school “keep clear” markings
- On a bay or area where parking has been suspended e.g.
with yellow signs
You should also avoid the following:
- Any place that might cause an obstruction or hold up
traffic
- Parking in a place that might block access for others
- Parking on a pavement
Remember! The vehicle must be moved if a Police Officer or a
Civil Enforcement Officer in uniform requests it.
How to use the badge and clock
A badge must be clearly displayed in the front of the vehicle on
the dashboard.
It is important to display the badge the correct way up, i.e.
with the wheelchair symbol and expiry date facing upwards so that
the details can be clearly read. If the clock is required it should
be set to the time of arrival and be clearly displayed alongside
the badge. Please take care not to hide any details by overlapping
the badge and clock.
Blue Badge Fraud and Misuse
We are aware that the majority of blue badge holders use their
badges responsibly and in accordance with the rules laid down in
the DfT publication “The Blue Badge Scheme: Rights and
Responsibilities”. However, abuse of the scheme does take
place, to the detriment of able-bodied and disabled residents
alike, so we would like to remind badge holders of the
following:
It is down to individuals to use the Blue Badge properly.
The badge and its concessions are for the badge holder only and it
is a criminal offence to let anyone else use it when you’re not in
the car. If you do this, you could be fined up to
£1000.
Do not allow other people to use your badge to do something on
your behalf such as shopping or collecting something for you unless
you are travelling with them.
The badge must only be used when the person it was issued to is
in the vehicle either as the driver or as a passenger. It is an
offence to use a badge without the disabled person being
present. If you are in any doubt about whether you can use
your blue badge or not in a given situation, you can ring the
council on 020 7364 5003 and we will do our best to advise you.
A dedicated Fraud Team investigate and prosecute blue badge
mis-use and fraud. If you suspect that a badge is either fraudulent
or being mis-used, please call 0207 364 6945 and let us know.
Further Enquiries
Parking Services
Mulberry Place (AH)
PO Box 55739
5 Clove Crescent
London E14 1BY
Parking Helpline: 020 7364 5003 (Open: Monday to Friday from 8am
to 8pm, Saturday from 8am to 4pm)
Fax number: 020 7364 6797
Email: parking@towerhamlets.gov.uk
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