Disabled parking and bays

• Applicants should have the following;
  • A current and valid Blue Badge (a copy must be supplied with the application)
  • Receive the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA), the enhanced rate mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or a similar alternative benefit such as Attendance Allowance or an applicable War Pension (evidence of this must be supplied with the application)
  • Have a vehicle registered at the applicants address (a copy of the vehicle registration document or Motability Hire Agreement must be supplied with the application)
• The applicant should be the driver of the vehicle needing a space, unless the applicant is a child under 18 or has a disability that means the badge holder cannot be left alone. A copy of the nominated driver’s driving licence, registered at the applicants address must be supplied with the application. If the main driver of the vehicle does not reside at the property, the application will be refused.
• There must be no space available for parking your vehicle within the boundary of your property, such as a garage or driveway, or alternative parking provision such as a garage or off-street parking within 50 metres.
• There must be parking problems within the road (you regularly have difficulty finding available space on street close to your property). This will be investigated as part of the application process.
• There must be no existing parking restrictions in place (i.e. single or double yellow lines etc.).
• The width of the carriageway should be 6.3m or wider to maintain access for emergency service vehicles. The highway conditions will be assessed by an Engineer to establish whether a bay can be technically provided (issues such as safety, width of carriageway, number of vehicles using or parking in the road, proximity to a junction, the number of other disabled parking bays in the vicinity and the availability of off-street parking will be considered)
• Existing disabled parking bays in any one street should not exceed 5% of total parking places available.
• The road must be owed and maintained by Kent County Council.
• It should be noted that the applicant will not have exclusive rights to the DPPB applied for and any vehicle displaying a valid Blue Badge may park in it.

If an applicant fails to meet any of these criteria, then the application may be refused.

The Council will make every effort to process your application as soon as possible. Under normal circumstances this will be approximately three months.

1. If an applicant meets the criteria and there are no highway conditions preventing the provision of a DPPB, neighbours potentially affected by the provision of a DPPB will be consulted. Any feedback provided will be addressed before a decision is made.
   • If an application is refused, details of why this decision was made will be sent to the applicant. This decision will include details of how to appeal the decision to Kent County Council.
   • If an application is accepted, an interim DPPB will be installed. An interim DPPB is simply the road marking and it will not be enforceable until a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) is ‘Made’.
2. Every two years, Gravesham Borough Council review all of the disabled bays in the Borough to ensure they are still used for their intended purpose and ensure the criteria is still met by every applicant. Upon completion of these reviews, an amendment will be made to our TRO. The amendment to the TRO will remove any DPPBs that are either no longer required or where the criteria is no longer met as well as adding any interim DPPBs introduced since the last amendment to the TRO. A TRO is the legal document which allows the Highway Authority to regulate its use.
3. The processing of a TRO amendment takes between nine and twelve months on average from when it is agreed in principle to the time of its ‘Sealing’. It is a lengthy process because the statutory procedures laid down by the Department for Transport must be adhered to.
4. Proposed changes to the TRO will be subject to public consultation.
5. Objections received to DPPB proposals may be reported to an authorised council committee where a decision will be made to overrule or uphold any objections. The committee may need to hold a site meeting to consider any problems. Objections upheld will prevent applications proceeding any further and interim DPPBs will be removed. If the objections are overruled then the TRO will be formally made.
6. Once a TRO is ‘made’, any interim bays added into the TRO will have a ‘Disabled Badge Holders Only’ sign installed on the boundary wall. The ‘effect’ of a TRO restricts DPPB use to Blue Badge holders only and Civil Enforcement Officers may then issue Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) to vehicles not displaying a valid Blue Badge whilst parked in a DPPB.
7. All DPPBs are reviewed every two years to ensure that they are still required. Any review indicating that a DPPB is no longer required or the criteria no longer met will result in its removal. It is the applicant’s duty to notify the Council immediately of any changes in their circumstances that could affect the continued provision of a DPPB.