Providing certain conditions are met Devon County Council, as Highway Authority, can provide and mark on the carriageway, parking places for blue badge holders. These can be either:-

1. a formal space covered by a Traffic Regulation Order, which can be enforced by the Police or Traffic Warden.
   
   or
   
2. an advisory space, where parking difficulties exist normally provided in the vicinity of a disabled person’s home.

Formal Parking Bays

Formal spaces are normally found within the central business districts of a town and will have been provided for the general use of blue badge holders to ease their use of facilities within the area. They will be covered by a Traffic Regulation Order, be enforceable by the Police, and will be marked in accordance with the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions in that the word “Disabled” will be written alongside the bay and a restriction plate (showing the blue disabled symbol) giving any information required will be mounted adjacent to the bay. These may also be found in residential areas controlled by waiting restrictions for example Residential Parking Zones.

Advisory Bays

An advisory parking bay for blue badge holders is normally provided where parking is at a premium in a residential area that is not controlled by waiting restrictions. A resident holding an blue badge, who has satisfied the conditions laid down by the County Council as Highway Authority, may be provided with a parking place on the highway near their home. Such bays are advisory and depend on the goodwill of neighbours and other road users for their success.

Advisory bays are also marked in accordance with the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions in that the word "Disabled” will be written alongside the bay on the road, but they do not have a restriction plate (showing the blue disabled symbol) accompanying them.

Although advisory bays are primarily intended for the use of the original applicant, they cannot be enforced and consequently no action can be taken against anyone else who parks there, whether an blue badge holder or not. However, experience shows that such spaces are normally respected and the original applicant will experience an enhanced lifestyle as a result.

To apply for a Parking Bay:

There is a county-wide policy governing the provision of disabled parking bays. For a successful application, the following conditions must be met:

1. You must be an blue badge holder.
2. You must be the driver of the vehicle for which the space is required (except in exceptional circumstances).
3. There must be no parking available to you at your property.
4. The Police must agree that there is a parking problem.
5. Your Doctor must confirm that the nature of the disability is such that a space would be appropriate.

After we receive the completed application form and when the appropriate funding becomes available:

• A copy is sent to the Police asking for a report on the parking conditions in the area of your home.
• Should they confirm the problem a letter will be sent to your Doctor to obtain confirmation of your disability.

Please note from the declaration on your application form that you have agreed to pay any fee required by your doctor in connection with this matter.

Should the five conditions be met, then a representative of the Area Highway Management Office will have to visit the site in order that the bay, which would be purely advisory, may be sited in a logical and safe position.

Here is a link to the Department for Transport - Blue Badge advisory leaflet (496KB - pdf help) for blue badge holders.

Please select the Disabled Parking Bay Application (99KB - pdf help), print and complete the form. You will need to send the application form to your nearest Area Highway Management Office (see below).

Contact:

• You can find the address of your nearest Area Highway Management Office using this Map.