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Disabled Parking Bays

Answer

The Chief Executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has been asked to write to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question.Letter from Dr. Malcolm McKibbin to Gregory Campbell, dated 27 October 2005:"You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question regarding, what steps are being taken to ensure that those using disabled parking bays in car parks open to the general public in Northern Ireland are drivers with a valid disabled Blue Badge applicable to the vehicle in question.""I have been asked to reply as these issues fall within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service.""Firstly, I should explain that a Blue Badge is issued to a disabled person for their personal use. It does not limit the disabled person to a particular vehicle and can legitimately be used in any vehicle in which the disabled person in question is travelling. When a Blue Badge is displayed on a vehicle, only the serial number and date of expiry are visible to someone making a routine inspection. Other information, such as a photograph of the disabled person and their signature, are not immediately visible.""The purpose of the Disabled Persons Badge Scheme (the Blue Badge Scheme) is to give disabled people the ability to park on-street, close to the facilities and services they need so as to improve their lifestyle, independence and freedom of choice. The scheme only applies to on-street car parking. A Blue Badge does not entitle the holder to free parking within a Roads Service off-street fee paying public car park. Therefore, there is no monetary benefit to be gained from the improper use of a Blue Badge within a fee paying public car park. For other off-street private car parks, such as shopping centres and multi-storey car parks, badge holders must check the concessions offered, as these can vary widely.""Responsibility for the enforcement of off-street disabled parking spaces in public car parks currently rests with Roads Service. Article 6 of the Off-Street Parking (NI) Order 2000 prohibits the driver of a vehicle, other than a disabled person's vehicle, to park in a disabled parking space. Contravention of this Article is an offence, and in such circumstances, Roads Service has the power to remove the vehicle or instigate proceedings to prosecute the individual involved.""However, our experience is that there is not a major difficulty with the misuse of off-street disabled parking spaces. This may be explained by the considerable concessions for Blue Badge holders at on- street parking facilities, including free unlimited parking at on-street ‘pay and display' equipment. Other on-street parking concessions also permit a Blue Badge holder to leave their vehicle without time limit in a street where waiting is normally allowed only for limited periods. Blue Badge holders may also, in some areas, leave their vehicle for up to 3 hours on many yellow lines.""It is therefore our policy to discourage potential offenders and where disabled persons' interests can be protected by persuasion, rather that prosecution, so much the better. To this end when car park attendants discover a vehicle parked in a disabled parking space without having a Blue Badge on display, they place a notice on the vehicle advising the driver that he/she is parked in a space reserved for disabled people. The notice also advises that such parking is an offence that may result in a fine or the vehicle being removed.""I should also advise that following the PSNI's decision to withdraw from the enforcement of on-street parking restrictions, to enable policing resources to be focused on areas of greater policing priority, DRD has introduced new primary legislation, the Traffic Management (NI) Order 2005. This legislation provides the necessary legislative power to introduce civil enforcement of certain road traffic offences, initially enforcement of parking and waiting prohibitions and restrictions. Decriminalised Parking Enforcement (DPE) is likely to become effective in late September/early October 2006.""Under DPE, traffic attendants will be able to inspect Blue Badges to check for abuse of the system and may issue a Penalty Charge Notice if misuse is suspected. If this happens, Roads Service will write to the holder of the badge and inform them that it has been used inappropriately. Should this happen on a number of occasions Roads Service may withdraw the disabled persons' badge. Vehicles not displaying a Blue Badge, but parked in an on-street disabled parking space, will be issued with a Penalty Charge Notice.""I hope this information is helpful."

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

22434; 438 c789-90W;438 c787-8W

Session

2005-06

Subjects

Disability Parking Northern Ireland