Conditions of application
- RDPBs are for disabled residents who find it difficult to park on the public highway near their home
- they are provided on a discretionary basis to those who meet all eligibility criteria
- the criteria involves a disabled person: possessing a valid Blue Badge; permanently living at an address near to where the RDPB is located; having a vehicle registered to that address; and the property being deemed as not having access to suitable off-street parking
- the Blue Badge holder and the driver of the vehicle must be a resident at the address
- the applicant does not need to be the driver or owner of the vehicle, but the vehicle must be registered with the DVLA at the address where the bay is to be installed
- applications will only be considered if a disabled resident does not have access to private off-street parking, or if it can be proven that the off-road facility is not suitable for their needs
- should private off-street parking be considered unsuitable, the council reserves the right to place the RDPB across an applicant’s dropped kerb if site constraints require so
- by submitting the application form, an applicant agrees to pay the relevant fee
- the fee is charged prior to installation and is only paid once (it is not a recurring annual charge)
- the fee contributes towards installation, future maintenance of the road markings for the bay, and removal of these when the RDPB is no longer required (for a Permit RDPB the fee also includes one hard copy permit).
- Data is collected and handled by the council in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018
Conditions of use for all RDPBs
- vehicles parked in a RDPB must display a valid Blue Badge and (in the case of Permit RDPBs) a valid permit, otherwise a Penalty Charge Notice may be incurred
- when the bay is no longer required or circumstances change, the applicant must inform the council
Conditions of use for Permit RDPBs
- the permit is only valid for the RDPB with the corresponding number
- if the RDPB is removed by the council, the permit becomes invalid
- alterations to or duplicates of a permit are not allowed and may result in a Penalty Charge Notice being issued, along with the cancellation of the permit
- only one permit per RDPB will be issued (lost or stolen permits must be reported to the council and an administration charge may apply for replacements)
Application process
- applications are processed in batches periodically throughout the year and cannot be fast tracked
- the entire process from application to installation can take up to 12 months
- a RDPB requires a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) to be enforceable and cannot just be painted on the road
- TROs are the legal means for amending or introducing measures which regulate the movement and parking of vehicles on the public highway
- all applications are subject to a screening process to verify eligibility and highway implications
- if provisionally approved, applications proceed to a statutory three week public consultation (the opportunity for interested parties to make representation and the consideration of these by the council before making a decision, ensures that any restrictions introduced are fair and robust)
- after the consultation, recommendations are submitted to the relevant senior decision maker, who is ultimately responsible for deciding whether the proposed TRO is made (that decision is subject to the democratic process set out in the council’s constitution)
- if formally approved, payment is requested from the applicant
- following receipt of payment, the statutory legal process is completed, and an order is placed for installation (if an applicant has applied for a Permit RDPB, this will also include their permit)
How to get in touch
Please email disabledbay@bcpcouncil.gov.uk with any RDPB related matters or queries.