Parking Changes - Advice About Disabled Parking

Date published: 29/06/2004

Rochdale Council's new parking control system comes into force on 4 July this year. Disabled drivers who use a 'Blue Badge' may still use it where appropriate, but must ensure it is properly displayed.

Under the new system the Borough's streets will be patrolled by parking attendants employed by NCP on behalf of Rochdale Council. Their key objectives are to improve safety and traffic management throughout the borough.

Prior to 4 July parking offences committed on the streets are classed as criminal offences. From that date, if you commit a parking offence either on the streets or in the off-street car parks either type of offence will be classed as civil.

There are two important exceptions to this. Firstly, it remains a criminal offence to misuse the disabled driver's Blue Badge. These badges are intended solely for use in vehicles where the driver or a passenger is disabled. It is, and will remain, a criminal offence to drive a vehicle displaying a Blue Badge without having the disabled person in the vehicle at the time, or to lend the badge to friends or relatives. Offenders can be fined up to £1,000.

The second exception relates to vehicles that cause obstruction on the streets. The police can - and will - continue to issue you with a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN). They can also arrange for your vehicle to be removed.

Disabled driver parking bays are reserved solely for use by blue badge holders. It is currently a criminal offence for non-badge holders to park in these bays. Many people do so, however, because the bays are always in the most convenient locations and the drivers believe they can get away with it. This will be reclassified as a civil offence after 4 July.

Within Rochdale borough around 10,000 drivers are entitled to blue badges. Rochdale Council receives many complaints each year from badge holders who are unable to use the bays because non-badge holders have parked there. The Parking Attendants will strictly enforce parking in these reserved bays after 4 July.

Blue badge holders should also be aware that they are required to comply with the regulations that apply to having the badge if they wish to avoid getting a penalty charge notice. Incorrectly displaying the blue badge - or not displaying it at all - becomes a civil offence. Drivers should remember their badge must be displayed date side up.

If the date is not visible the parking attendant has no way of knowing whether the badge is valid or not and a penalty charge notice will be issued. Displaying the photo side of the badge is not acceptable.

Remember, it is the driver's responsibility to ensure that their vehicle is parked safely and obeying the parking restrictions in force at the time.