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Disabled Badge Holders
The Blue Badge Scheme provides a national
arrangement of parking concessions for people with severe walking
difficulties who travel either as drivers or
passengers. The Scheme also applies to
registered blind people and people with very severe upper limb
disabilities who regularly drive a vehicle but cannot turn a
steering wheel by hand. The Blue Badge Scheme is
effectively a replacement for the Orange Badge
Scheme. The new European style Blue Badge was
introduced on 1 April 2000 to replace the Orange Badge.
The Scheme allows badge holders to park close to their destination,
free of charge. The national concessions apply
only to on-street parking. In the Harrogate
district disabled badge holders can also park free of charge in all
of the Council's off-street car parks. The badge
must always be displayed when using these parking benefits.
Where to park in Harrogate District
- Any of the Council's off-street car parks.
Parking is free of charge and for an unrestricted length of time.
Some of the car parks have spaces designated for disabled badge
holders.
- Any parking place on-street (apart from
the exemptions listed below). Parking is free of charge and for an
unrestricted length of time.
- On single or double yellow lines (apart
from where a loading/unloading restriction exists) for a maximum
period of three hours, providing that your vehicle does not cause
an obstruction to other traffic or pedestrians.
Where not to park in Harrogate District
- Where a loading or unloading restriction
is in operation.
- Taxi ranks, loading bays, bus stops, cycle
lanes, pedestrian crossings, clearways or School 'Keep Clear'
markings.
- Where temporary restrictions on parking
are in force along a length of road, e.g. as indicated by
no-waiting cones.
- Where it would be obstructive or cause a
danger to others, e.g. at school entrances, close to a junction,
narrow stretches of road, blocking vehicle entrances, emergency
vehicle entrances, pavements.
Applying for a disabled persons' badge
If you think you may be entitled to a badge you should
apply:
In England and Wales
To the Social Services Department of your County, Unitary,
Metropolitan District or London Borough Council.
If you live in the Harrogate District you should make an initial
request for an application form to:
Social Services
Customer Relations Unit
Jesmond House
31-33 Victoria Avenue
Harrogate
HG1 3QE
|
Tel: 01423 568099
Fax: 01423 520464
|
In Scotland
To the Chief Executive or Social Work Department of your local
Council.
Your local authority will decide if you are eligible for a
badge. There is no right of appeal against their
decision if you do not meet the eligibility conditions.
How to use the badge
You must display the badge on top of the dashboard or facia
panel of a vehicle with the front of the badge (i.e. the side
showing the wheelchair-user symbol) facing forward so that the
relevant details are legible from outside of the vehicle when using
the parking benefits.
Badges last for three years only. It is
the badge holder's responsibility to ensure that badges are up to
date. When you need a new one you should apply
to the issuing authority for reassessment some weeks before the
badge expires. You must return the badge to the
issuing authority if you no longer need it.
Your duties as a badge holder
The purpose of the Scheme is to allow you to visit shops and
other places. You must ensure that you use your
badge with care and attention to the rules.
It is your responsibility to ensure that the badge is used
properly. It is in your interest that the badge
should retain the respect of other motorists and
pedestrians. Please play your part.
You must not allow other people to use the
badge. To reduce the risk of this happening
accidentally, you should remove the badge whenever you are not
using the parking concession.
You must ensure that the details on the front of the badge remain
legible. If they become unreadable, the badge
must be returned to the local authority for re-issue.
You should not use the badge to allow non-disabled people to take
advantages of the benefits while you sit in the
car. Although it is not illegal for a badge
holder, or a non-disabled person waiting for the badge holder to
return, to remain in the vehicle while the Blue Badge is displayed,
consideration should be given to using a car park whenever
possible.