Blue Badge Information

European style Blue Badge

Introduction

On 1 November 2002, the Orange Badge disabled parking scheme was replaced with a new European style Blue Badge. The then Public Services Committee (PSC) took this opportunity to review Jersey's disabled persons' parking scheme and introduce new, more rigorous eligibility criteria, to ensure that the scheme focuses on those whose needs are greatest. At the same time, budgetary constraints dictated that it was necessary to introduce a charge to cover the costs of the scheme's administration.

Why was the Orange Badge scheme changed to the European style Blue Badge?

To provide disabled badge recognition across the European Union and elsewhere.

The Blue Badge scheme aims to introduce a standard design of parking badge across the Europe Union. The Blue Badge replaced the parking cards or badges of various shapes, sizes and colours which were issued to disabled people in each Member State so as to ensure recognition of one badge-type across the borders of EU countries. This was extended to non-EU countries, like Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man, by reciprocal arrangement.

The intention of the new design of badge is to improve mobility opportunities for disabled people across Europe, particularly those travelling between countries, and to improve mutual recognition. Consequently, Jersey badge holders travelling in the EU, and visitors to Jersey from the EU, will be able to use disabled parking facilities without fear of penalty resulting from their badge not being recognised.

An additional benefit exists for local people travelling to certain EU countries such as Spain and Greece, who did not operate a national scheme of parking concessions for disabled people, but who now recognise the Blue Badge.

What does the Blue Badge look like?

The leaflet Jersey Blue Badge Scheme features the badge design on its front cover.

The Jersey badge design is largely the same as the United Kingdom's, the difference is that all references and symbols pertaining to the EU have been removed in line with the Island's status as a politically-independent entity, outside of the EU.

In common with the UK, new security features are incorporated, including a photograph of the holder on the back. Unlike the old Orange Badge, the Blue Badge does not require the name of the holder to appear on the front, just on the reverse side. This addresses the concerns of Orange Badge holders, who were opposed to their names being on display as a potential personal risk. The new badge is plastic-laminated making it easy to switch between different vehicles the badge holder might travel in, without the risk of tearing.

When required, badge holders must show their photograph on the back of the badge to Parking Officials to allow confirmation that it is their personal badge.

What changes were required from the previous scheme's administration?

An ageing population, increased expectations of mobility across all sections of the population and high ownership of private transport has led to an increase in the number of parking badges issued since the disabled people's parking scheme was created.

There was also a common belief that the old scheme was increasingly open to abuse. The extent was difficult to quantify and the belief was based on the perceived incidents of abuse and much anecdotal evidence.

Abuse of the scheme reduced the parking spaces available for bona fide disabled badge holders, who had no choice other than to use a specially designed parking space. With no other parking options available to them, this led to a reduction in the quality of life for people who would otherwise find it impossible to visit shops, public buildings or other places. With a finite number of suitable parking spaces available for disabled people, the Public Services Committee recognised that the problem needed addressing to ensure sufficient parking spaces for legitimate badge holders.

To discover how the situation might be improved the Committee carried out a wide-ranging consultation with interested parties. One of the results of this consultation is the more rigorous eligibility criteria that are to be applied to applicants for Blue Badges.

Blue Badge eligibility criteria

The Jersey Medical Society advised the PSC that the Island's doctors were reluctant to refuse applicants whose case for a badge was questionable. PSC was informed that this reluctance to administer the scheme rigorously resulted from the risk of litigation against medical practitioners. It was considered that the description of an eligible disabled person contained in the Orange Badge scheme Order was too ambiguous to allow a medical practitioner to defend a decision to refuse the certification for a badge, where the validity of that application was questionable or contrary to the spirit of the scheme.

What are the eligibility criteria?

Discussions with the Jersey Medical Society and the Law Draftsman have resulted in the following amendments to the Road Traffic (Disabled Persons) (Badges for Motor Vehicles) (Jersey) Order, which were made concurrently to those required to introduce the European style Blue Badge on 1 November 2002:

3. A person may apply for a disabled person's badge, if he -

(a) has a permanent and substantial disability which causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking; or

(b) is registered with the Jersey Blind Society Incorporated, or has a certificate from that Society to the effect that he is blind.

Is there any guidance as to what "very considerable difficulty in walking" means?

The aim of the scheme is that only severely disabled people will qualify under its criteria.

While PSC recognised it was not desirable to remove the professional discretion of GPs in certifying badges, particularly in the case of progressive diseases with unpredictable symptoms such as Multiple Sclerosis, it was suggested that it would be useful to provide guidance to doctors, to assist them in the interpretation of the law.

The scheme is now unambiguous, badges should only be certified to people who have a permanent condition that results in their being unable to walk or having a very considerable difficulty in walking or are blind. Under no circumstances should anyone who does not satisfy one or other of these basic criteria be certified to receive a badge.

As a guide to what is meant by "very considerable difficulty in walking" PSC looked for guidance from the Institution of Highways and Transportation's publication Reducing Mobility Handicaps which advises that a qualifying person, who is capable of walking unaided, would need to rest after walking 100 metres.

I used to hold an Orange Badge and I have now been refused a Blue Badge, what does this mean for me?

The result of this change is that some applicants provided with Orange Badges were not eligible for a Blue Badge.

It is important to recognise that as there are large car parks, such as Sand Street, Minden Place and Snow Hill close to the centre of town, a badge is not therefore a prerequisite for convenient parking close to the Island 's main shopping areas.

Some individuals who do not qualify under the disabled parking scheme may be eligible for transport grants from the Employment and Social Security Department to assist them with their additional mobility costs as the criteria for the two schemes differ.

What charges are made for badge applications?

In the past, the cost of administering the scheme was borne by the Parish of St Helier, where the majority of the dedicated parking spaces are situated. As disabled parking badge holders come from the general community across the Island and as the provision of disabled parking places is extended outside St Helier, it is clearly inequitable to expect the parishioners of St Helier to fund the administration of the scheme.

In the absence of States funding for the disabled persons' parking scheme and with the reduction in parish and departmental budgets, it is imperative that the scheme is self-funding. To achieve this it is necessary to charge a £15 fee for badge applications to cover administrative costs.

What parking benefits does a Blue Badge give me at home in Jersey ?

Successful applicants will enjoy free parking, within the applicable time limits, in the Island's off-street car parks and many on-street parking benefits for a period of three years, after which badges must be renewed.

Do I have to renew my Orange Badge straightaway?

No. Orange badges can still be used in Jersey until their expiry date (the date is shown on the badge), at which time a new application will be required under the Blue Badge scheme.

What are the parking time limits?

The off-street parking time limits for badge holders are designed to reduce misuse and ensure turnover of parking spaces for disabled users. Click here for details.

Where can I find details of the parking arrangements in countries I intend to visit?

Blue Badge holders are able to take advantage of the applicable motorists' parking privileges wherever they are in the UK or the rest of the EU. Details of the privileges in each EU country can be found in leaflets available from the Town Hall and the Parking Control Office at Sand Street Car Park, or by contacting:

Department for Transport
Disability Policy Branch, Mobility Unit
Zone 1/11, Great Minster House
76 Marsham Street
London
SW1 P 4DR

Tel 020 7944 6800

Or visit www.mobility-unit.dft.gov.uk/bluebadge/index.htm

It is hoped that reciprocal agreements, like the one enjoyed by Jersey, can be extended to other countries that are outside the EU. Details of arrangements, where they exist, can be obtained from the addresses given above or directly from the individual country.

Who was asked about the changes to the scheme?

PSC undertook various formal and informal communications with interested bodies about the Blue Badge and proposed changes to the scheme's administration. The bodies consulted were:

Government bodies	Local special interest bodies
Citizens Advice Bureau	Door to Door Transport Association
Comité des Connétables	Jersey Access
Dept of Health and Social Services	Jersey Blind Society
Employment and Social Security Dept	Jersey Society for the Disabled
Home Affairs Department	Motor Neurone Disease Association
Parish of St Helier	Multiple Sclerosis Society of Jersey
	Parkinson Disease Society
Professional bodies	Polio Support Group - Information Only
Jersey Medical Society	Scope Jersey

Other bodies

The Blue Badge Network (UK disabled drivers association with Jersey members)