Don't go to Gloucester.

[Gibbo2286]

Took my old disabled friend to Gloucester for her first outing since the lockdown commenced, parked in the multi story car park, three hour limit for disabled free parking, at three hours she wanted to stop for a Costa coffee so I left her there and moved the car onto the street, reset the time on her card and went back and had a coffee with her, returned to the car s**t! a parking ticket.

There are no signs or yellow lines on the road, it's just a plain tarmacked road, so I see a female traffic warden along the road,

"Did you ticket my car?
"Not me but you can't park there it's pedestrianised."
"There's no indication of that."
"There's sign on a post at the far corner.
" But the lady's disabled and her badge is in full view."
"Disabled badges don't work in pedestrianised areas, you can try to appeal it."

[mickthemaverick]

Hmmm! I'd definitely appeal that and expect you to get a result. Gloucester is on the September Stroll route!!

[GiveMeABreak]

I like the "Not me" bit! That means guilty as charged in my book!

[Gibbo2286]

Remember this, I appealed the next morning and had forgotten all about it, got a letter from them this morning saying the appeal has been considered and dismissed, pay up.
Have to wait now for 28 days for the final notice then I'm going to go to the independent arbitrator and try my luck there.

[GiveMeABreak]

It's very ambiguous to be honest as most of the .GOV.UK info refer to "pedestrian crossings", with no specific mention of Pedestrian Zones. I have seen some places where they disabled allocate bays in pedestrian zones - but you cannot park outside of these.

From https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... in-england

So unless you can prove the signage was not clear or visible - I can't see that it specifically says you can't park there in the guidance:

Places where you cannot park
The Blue Badge is not a licence to park anywhere. Like other road users, you must obey the rules of the road, as laid out in the Highway Code. Here is a list of places where you must not park.

Places where a ban on loading or unloading is in force, as indicated above by kerb markings. You may wish to check whether a particular local council has, exceptionally, chosen to allow Blue Badge holders to park where there are loading restrictions.

Parking places reserved for specific users such as resident’s bays or loading bays. You may wish to check whether a particular local council has chosen to exempt Blue Badge holders from these restrictions.

Pedestrian crossings (zebra, pelican, toucan and puffin crossings), including areas marked by zig-zag lines.

Clearways (no stopping).

A bus stop clearway during its hours of operation.

An urban clearway within its hours of operation. You may pick up or drop off passengers. All parking is forbidden.

School ‘keep clear’ markings during the hours shown on a yellow no-stopping plate.

Bus, tram or cycle lanes or cycle tracks. Badge holders are not entitled to drive in bus lanes during their hours of operation.

Where there are double white lines in the centre of the road, even if one of the lines is broken.

Suspended meter bays or when use of the meter is not allowed.

Where temporary parking restrictions are in force, as shown for example by no-waiting cones.

[Gibbo2286]

They sent me photos of my car and one of a sign which is at the top of a high pole 50 metres away on the other side of the road, there is a no loading area probably fifty metres away on the side where I was parked but it has the double yellows with the end stop far away from my car.

No yellows at all nor 'no loading' marks on the kerbs nor post/wall signs.

I read all the info on line re pedestrianised areas and there's nowt about parking restrictions in there unless they are specifically sign posted.

I'm just going to fight it.

[mickthemaverick]

Good for you Eric, lets hope an arbitrator with some common sense gets your case!

[411514]

Probably worth keeping quiet about you using the holders badge though - from gov.uk:

Who can use the badge?
The badge is for your use and benefit only. It must only be displayed if you are travelling in the vehicle as a driver or passenger, or if someone is collecting you or dropping you off and needs to park at the place where you are being collected or dropped.


You'd be hard pressed to argue that parking your car to go and have coffee constitutes collecting the badge holder. You could end up dodging the ticket but ending up with a criminal conviction.

[mickthemaverick]

I think you've missed the point there Sam, Eric was taking the badge holder to and from the coffee shop so perfectly entitled to use the badge at that time!

[411514]

I think you've missed the point there Sam, Eric was taking the badge holder to and from the coffee shop so perfectly entitled to use the badge at that time!

No, you've missed the facts, in a way that a prosecutor wouldn't. The badge holder was already at the coffee shop, and Eric was joining her for coffee.

Assuming that the gov.uk statement is an accurate reflection of the law (which admittedly isn't a given), I'd say Eric's use was arguably permissible, certainly not 'perfectly entitled'.

[GiveMeABreak]

I sometimes take an elderly neighbour to appointments and she brings her badge to use in our car - and also if she want to go into a shop or stop off anywhere permitted - perfectly entitled to do so as long as you are using it for the benefit of the badge holder. There's no requirement for the badge holder to even have a vehicle.

[mickthemaverick]

SWMBO has a blue badge and consequently I am well aware of the rules. The entitlement to park for the benefit of the badge holder is universal, the slightly dodgy ground, if any, here is the question of the road being pedestrianised. That is down to local bylaws and varies from place to place. But you are perfectly entitled to use the badge for the benefit of the badge holder at any time.

[JohnD]

There's no requirement for the badge holder to even have a vehicle.

That's right! My 94-year-old sister has a disabled badge and she's never owned a vehicle. She just takes it with her when somebody gives her a lift.

[Hell Razor5543]

My friend and landlord has a Blue Badge, and he cannot even drive!

[Gibbo2286]

My only reason for being in Gloucester on that day was to take the lady there for a break from the house as the lockdown eased and to get some particular wallpaper from Wilko for her son who was decorating a room for her, the use of her badge was totally for her benefit and perfectly legal.