Disabled parking bays

1. Introduction
2. Objectives of Advisory Disabled Parking Bays
3. Criteria for Providing Advisory Disabled Parking Bay
4. Process
5. Traffic Regulation Orders and enforcement

Introduction

This policy sets out a comprehensive framework for the effective management of Advisory Disabled Parking Bays (ADBs) across Coventry. This framework will provide a consistent, transparent, and systematic way for Coventry City Council to consider, and potentially progress requests.

In 2019 the eligibility criteria for Blue Badges were extended to people with non-visible disabilities, and this extension of the criteria has further increased what was already a high demand for this type of facility.

Advisory Disabled Parking Bays are parking spaces that are marked out on the public highway, they are marked with the word Disabled but do not have an associated sign. ADBs are installed to assist residents (who are valid Blue Badge holders and have a vehicle registered to their property) to maintain their independence and remain/maintain their mobility to enable equitable accessibility, making all journeys as easy as possible.

Advisory Disabled Parking Bays are not provided for the use of a sole specified individual and are available for use by any Blue Badge holder regardless of location. Unlike many other restrictions ADBs cannot be legally enforced and rely upon the goodwill of neighbours and other road users to operate successfully. They are not backed by a legal order and Coventry City Council cannot undertake civil enforcement actions.

Objectives of Advisory Disabled Parking Bays

Coventry City Council has a responsibility to meet specific duties as set out in the 2010 Equality Act. One of the three main aims of the equality duty, and particularly relevant to this policy is to have due regard to the need to ‘advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a protected characteristic and persons who do not share it’. This aim encompasses further aims: ‘remove or minimise disadvantages suffered by people due to their protected characteristics’; ‘Take steps to meet the needs of people with certain protected characteristics where these are different from the needs of other people’; and ‘encourage people with certain protected characteristics to participate in public life or in other activities where their participation is disproportionately low’

ADBs will not be provided to reserve a parking space for carers and visitors.

Criteria for Providing Advisory Disabled Parking Bay

• The applicant must hold a current Blue Badge registered to the address relating to the application
• Blue Badges must not be due to expire within 3 months of the application, reapplication for a Blue Badge will need to occur before applying for a bay
• A car must be registered to the applicant’s household – proof of this will be required, if requested
• The household must not have a driveway or other off-street parking that is suitable for use, such as a garage
• ADBs will only be provided on adopted highway with a road width of 6.2m or more
• ADBs are 5 metres long and installed directly in front of the applicant’s address. Should the bay need to extend partially in front of a neighbouring property, agreement to the installation of an ADB must be provided by the resident of the affected property. This is done by completing a Neighbour Agreement Form.
• Should an ADB be installed it is on the understanding that it is not for the exclusive use of the applicant or members of their household.

A disabled parking bay will not be installed where:

• Road safety issues or other traffic management issues are identified
• It would be located within a turning head or turning area
• There is a driveway with associated dropped vehicle crossover point at the requested location
• There is evidence of the private frontage of the premises being used for parking, even though there is no vehicle dropped access.
• There is insufficient space – for example the road is too narrow
• Where there are existing traffic management methods that an ADB would cause conflict with
• The bay would be within 10m of a junction or roundabout
• The highway is not adopted
• On or close to a pedestrian crossing, including the area marked by the zig-zag lines
• The kerb has already been lowered to assist wheelchair and mobility vehicle users
• There is a bus stop or taxi rank
• There is a cycle lane
• It would be close to a school entrance or on school keep clear markings
• It would be on the brow of hill, bend or hump back bridge
• It would be on a road hump/ raised feature

Process

An online application form is completed. If the applicant is unable to apply online, the application can be made by phone, by contacting Coventry City Council’s Customer Services Team.

The request is received and assessed against the eligibility criteria.

If the eligibility criteria are met, a site visit is undertaken to determine if the requested location is suitable for an ADB, in terms of road safety and traffic management.

Following the site visit, the resident will be contacted if it is not possible to install an ADB, or if a neighbour agreement is required.

Should the request meet the criteria and no issues are raised from the site visit, it is placed on a waiting list, requests for the installation of ADBs are sent out in batches and the customer is informed when the installation of the bay has been requested.

Traffic Regulation Orders and enforcement

Advisory disabled parking bays are not supported by a Traffic Regulation Order and therefore cannot be enforced if vehicles are parked there without a Blue Badge.