Introduction

Disabled parking bays provide on street parking for blue badge holders who do not have access to off street parking such as a drive or garage. These bays are not person specific and can be used by any blue badge holder. Please note that these bays are simply markings on the ground with no legal standing, and if the bay is ignored by other motorists we cannot take any further action. However, most motorists appreciate the purpose of the bay and leave them clear for the people who need them.

Eligibility Requirements

1. To apply for the installation of a disabled bay, you must provide a photocopy of both sides of your blue badge.
2. You can only apply if you do not have any suitable off street parking such as a driveway or garage.
3. You will need to prove that there is a vehicle registered and kept at the blue badge holder’s address.
4. To be eligible for a disabled parking bay, the road in which you live should be wide enough to enable emergency vehicles to pass when your vehicle is parked in the bay.
5. The location of the parking bay should not be less than 10m from a junction.

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How to Apply

If you feel you meet the above criteria and would like to apply for a disabled parking bay, then please complete an application form which is available to download at the bottom of this page. Once completed, please return it along with the required supporting documents to:

Parking Strategy and Implementation Team
Rowan House
Merrow Lane
Guildford
Surrey
GU4 7BQ

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Monitoring

Residents who have a disabled bay will occasionally be sent a letter asking them to confirm that their bay is still required by a disabled badge holder. A letter will also be sent to local residents if the council is informed that a bay is no longer required (e.g. because the disabled resident has moved away). In this case we send the letters to find out if any other local residents require the bay. If we do not have any further purpose for the bay we will look to remove the markings.

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FAQs

The disabled bay needs re-painting, what shall I do?

Applicants that require a disabled bay to be repainted will need to re-apply and fill in a new application form. We do this to ensure that the applicant still meets the eligibility requirements and to ensure the bay is still in a suitable position.

Someone else in my road already has a disabled bay, can I still apply for one?

Yes, as long as you meet the eligibility requirements, we will still consider your application. We do also have to consider the amount of parking space available for all the residents in the road. When an engineer completes the site visit they will determine if there is a suitable location for another bay or not.

Is there any charge for the bays?

No, we do not currently charge for disabled bays.

There is a disabled bay down my road that is no longer being used, can it be removed?

If there is a disabled bay that is no longer required (e.g. because the blue badge holder has moved) then please contact us or write to the above address.

Please provide the street name and town of where the disabled bay is and why it is no longer required. We will need to confirm this information is accurate before removing the markings.

Please note that requests for a removal of a disabled bay will become part of a large list of works that need to be carried out across the county, so it may be some months before the bay is removed.

Can I change my advisory disabled bay into an enforceable one as non-blue badge holders keep parking in it all the time?

This process is not always an option and depends on many different factors, including its distance from other formal parking restrictions. Your request would need to be added to the next parking review for the relevant borough/district.

How will I know if a bay is enforceable?

When a disabled bay is enforceable it will have a sign next to it with the words 'disabled badge holders only'. Enforceable disabled bays will have a legal traffic order and are enforced by civil enforcement officers employed by the local borough or district council. Anyone parked in an enforceable disabled bay not displaying a valid blue badge may receive a penalty charge notice.

Why are the disabled bays so big?

The disabled parking bay may appear to be larger than the average vehicle. This is because any blue badge holder can use the bay, and it has to allow for vehicles of all shapes and sizes. The long length of the bay allows for easy access to the rear part of a vehicle.