Disabled Parking Bays

What is a dedicated disabled parking bay?

A disabled parking bay is a dedicated painted parking area for eligible residents to be able to park as close to their home as possible.

This is only for residential use where there is no off-street parking near your home. You cannot apply for a space at any other location, such as a family member’s house.

Do I qualify for a disabled parking bay assessment?

You will not qualify for a disabled parking bay if

• You already have a driveway
• It is practical for you to park inside the boundary of your home
• It is possible to make a parking space inside the boundary of your home
• You do not drive and have an able bodied carer (We think it’s reasonable to expect your carer to stop for you to get out of the car and then move to a parking spot, or to move your wheelchair to your home from where the car is parked)
• You live on an unadopted or private road

If it is not possible to provide a Disabled Parking Bay, you may want to request further advice and support from an Occupational Therapist.

You can apply to be assessed for a disabled parking bay if you meet all of these criteria

• You are a Blue Badge holder, and
• You have a car registered at your address and the registered keeper lives there, and
• You live at the address for more than 10 months each year, and
• You cannot walk or are almost unable to walk, and
• You cannot move yourself in a wheelchair or cannot be helped to move in a wheelchair (this includes if your carer has health problems which make it difficult for them to move your wheelchair), and
• You receive the higher rate of Personal Independence Payment for Mobility (if you are under 65 years) or Attendance Allowance (if you are over 65 years), and
• Cannot find parking close to your address for the majority of time on most days
  
  

Or if you

• Have a disability which requires constant supervision, because you are unaware of danger or have behavioural difficulties and cannot find parking close to your address for the majority of time on most days

If these apply to you, an Occupational Therapist will complete an assessment. If the Occupational Therapist recommends a disabled parking bay, they will send a referral to our Environment, Roads and Facilities department who will consider if this is feasible.

Are there places where I can’t have a disabled parking bay?

We need to make sure that a new disabled parking bay would be safe for you and other road users.

Even if you qualify to apply for a disabled parking bay, we can’t put one on the road close to your home if

• Parking is prohibited
• The speed limit is more than 40mph
• Visibility is restricted (for example, on the brow of a hill or close to a junction)
• There is any other road safety hazard or the space would cause an obstruction
• The new parking space increases the total disabled parking on the street to above 5%
  
  

Do I need to pay?

Yes. We will ask you for a contribution payment of £689.76.  We will not make this charge until the parking bay has been finished.

What is the process?

Step One

An Occupational Therapist will complete an assessment. This will include visiting you at your home. They will ask your permission to contact your doctor or consultant if they need more information. If the Occupational Therapist recommends a disabled parking bay, they will send a referral to our Environment, Roads and Facilities department.

Step Two

Our Environment, Roads and Facilities department will come and assess your street to see if we can provide a disabled bay safely. A new parking bay cannot cause a hazard to other road users or disrupt the balance of residents’ parking in the area.

Step Three

If we can offer you a parking bay safely, we will agree the location with you. We might not be able to offer you a space right outside your home, but we’ll put it as close as we can.

Step Four

We will make a Traffic Regulation Order for a disabled parking bay on the highway. This is a legal document that allows us to add the road markings for a disabled bay. It also means that unauthorised drivers who park in the bay can be given a Penalty Charge Notice (parking ticket).

To make a Traffic Regulation Order, we have to advertise in the press and post notices on the street asking for any objections. We have to consider all objections and resolve them before we can start work. If we cannot resolve objections, we may not be able to provide the disabled parking bay.

Step Five

We will come and mark out your new designated resident’s disabled parking bay.

Step Six

We will issue you with a resident permit for your parking bay. You will need to display the resident permit and your blue badge when you are using the parking bay.

How long does it take?

It can take between 6 months and 18 months from the referral from the Occupational Therapy Service to marking out the parking bay on your road.

How can I apply for a parking bay assessment?

What if I don’t need a parking bay at my address anymore?

If you don’t need a disabled parking space anymore, or the Blue Badge holder doesn’t live at the address now, please let us know by emailing us at erf@conwy.gov.uk or calling 01492 575337.