Parking for disabled persons (Blue Badge holders)

Parking in Torridge District Council Car Parks

Off street  car park charges [339kb] (Pay & Display) apply each day of the week between 8am and 6pm except Christmas Day and New Years Day.

There are two main conditions for the use of Blue Badge holder bays:

1. The vehicle must clearly display a valid disabled persons badge and a valid Pay & Display Ticket must be purchased.
2. The maximum stay that is permitted will be indicated on the charges / conditions board found adjacent to the Pay & Display Meter.

Remember: If these bays are occupied, then you may use an ordinary parking bay providing you adhere to the above conditions.

The table below shows the number of disabled bays in Torridge District Council car parks. Parking is also available on street for Blue Badge holders. For more details see The Blue Badge Scheme.

The Blue Badge Scheme

The Blue Badge Scheme provides a national range of parking concessions for disabled people with severe mobility problems who have difficulty using public transport. The scheme is designed to help severely disabled people to travel independently, as either a driver or passenger, by allowing them to park close to their destination. Throughout Devon the Blue Badge Scheme is administered by Devon County Council. Click here for further information.

Where can you park with a Blue Badge?

The Blue Badge scheme only applies to on-street parking.  Badge holders have free use of parking meters and pay-and-display bays. They may also be exempt from limits on parking times imposed on other users (check local signs for information) and can park for up to three hours on yellow lines (except where there is a ban on loading or unloading or other restrictions, blue badge holders must not park in loading bays). A clock card must be displayed when parking on yellow lines.

The scheme does not apply to off-street car parks including Torridge District Council owned car parks, supermarket car parks, or privately-owned roads, such as those you find at airports. A guide to the rights and responsibilities of Blue Badge holders in England (which includes full details of where parking is permitted) is available to download to the right.

Qualifying for a Blue Badge

A person qualifies automatically for a Blue Badge if they are over two years old and meet at least one of the following criteria listed:

    'Please see attached Pdf document'

A person may also be eligible for a badge if they are more than two years old and either:

    'Please see attached Pdf document'

People with a behavioural or psychological disorder will not normally qualify unless their impairment causes very considerable difficulty in walking all the time.

Organisations that transport disabled people who would meet one or more of the above criteria may also be eligible for a badge. However, this is entirely at the discretion of the issuing local authority and any organisation that qualifies must follow the conditions for using it.

How to apply for a Blue Badge

The quickest and simplest way for a Devon resident to apply for a Blue Badge is to telephone Devon County Council. In most cases, they will be able to tell you at the end of the call if you are eligible for a badge.

Devon residents who are over retirement age can apply for a badge over the telephone by calling Care Direct on 0845 1551 007.

Devon residents of working age can apply for a badge over the telephone by calling the Disability Information Service on 0845 1551 005.

If you are eligible for a badge, Devon County Council will send you the completed application form including the information you gave us on the telephone.  You will need to sign and return the form to confirm the information is correct. You will also need to enclose a passport-sized photograph (35mm x 45mm) with the form. You should receive a Blue Badge within 5 working days of returning the form.

Devon County Council does not charge a fee for issuing a Blue Badge.

Taking Care of Your Blue Badge

If your badge is lost or stolen you should report it to the Police and obtain a crime reference number, then please call Care Direct on 0845 1551 007 or Disability Information Service on 0845 1551 005.

You must make sure that the details on the front of your badge remain legible.  If the badge details become unreadable through wear and tear or fading, please call Care Direct on 0845 1551 007 or Disability Information Service on 0845 1551 005.

Renewing your badge

Your badge will normally last for three years. We will automatically send you a renewal notice at least six weeks before the expiry date.

If you change address, please tell us your new address by telephoning Care Direct on 0845 1551 007 or Disability Information Service on 0845 1551 005. If you move to a different county your badge will still be valid but you will have to reapply to the new local authority when it expires.