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26 July 2006 - New online blue badge parking bay map launched today

A new interactive online service was launched today on www.direct.gov.uk, which will make it much easier for disabled people to find Blue Badge scheme parking bays in 64 cities across the UK.

This mapping facility is the first of its kind and will enable people to search by postcode or town/area name for designated Blue Badge parking bays, parking bays that fall on red routes in London and accessible petrol stations. The service will also outline any time restrictions or special notices that apply to individual allocated Blue Badge parking bays.

Anne McGuire, Minister for Disabled People, speaking about the launch of the service, said today:

“Disabled people need to be supported to live life independently in the community, at work and at leisure. That is why I am delighted that this interactive tool should really make a difference. For many disabled people who do drive or are a passenger, knowing where they will be able to park will enable them to take part in day to day activities that non-disabled people take for granted. This service will help many people a great deal.”

Transport Minister Gillian Merron added:

"We want everyone who is entitled to use a Blue Badge to benefit from a user-friendly and properly enforced system. Together with our recent steps to stamp out fraud, this innovative service will help badge holders, whether drivers or passengers, get more out of the scheme."

The Blue Badge scheme provides a range of parking benefits for disabled people with severe walking difficulties who travel either as drivers or as passengers. The concessions apply to on-street parking and include free use of parking meters and pay-and-display bays and are administered through local authorities.

Directgov, which brings together the widest range of public service information and services online, hosts the Blue Badge map facility in its section for disabled people which is located at www.direct.gov.uk/disability
The Blue Badge map can be viewed at www.direct.gov.uk/bluebadgemap

Notes for editors

  1. A photo of Ministers Anne McGuire and Gillian Merron launching the new blue badge online mapping service is available on request.

  2. The Department for Transport announced new measures to tackle abuse of the Blue Badge scheme on 5 July – see http://www.gnn.gov.uk/environment/dft/

  3. Directgov brings together the widest range of public service information and services online. Produced by the Central Office of Information, Directgov provides information from across UK Government departments on topics ranging from travel safety and parental leave to special educational needs and local NHS services.

  4. Directgov disability team has purchased under licence (initially for one year) a mapping facility that enables the public to view Blue Badge parking bays in 64 cities and towns in the UK.

    The towns and cities are:

  • Aberdeen
  • Bath
  • Belfast
  • Birmingham
  • Blackpool
  • Bournemouth
  • Bradford
  • Brighton
  • Bristol
  • Cambridge
  • Canterbury
  • Cardiff
  • Carlisle
  • Cheltenham
  • Chester
  • Coventry
  • Derby
  • Dover
  • Dundee
  • Durham
  • Eastbourne
  • Edinburgh
  • Exeter
  • Folkestone
  • Glasgow
  • Gloucester
  • Guildford
  • Harrogate
  • Hastings
  • Hereford
  • Inverness
  • Kingston upon Hull
  • Leeds
  • Leicester
  • Lincoln
  • Liverpool
  • London
  • Manchester
  • Middlesborough
  • Milton Keynes
  • Newcastle upon Tyne
  • Norwich
  • Nottingham
  • Oxford
  • Perth
  • Plymouth
  • Portsmouth
  • Reading
  • Salisbury
  • Scarborough
  • Sheffield
  • Southampton
  • Stoke on Trent
  • Stratford upon Avon
  • Sunderland
  • Swansea
  • Swindon
  • Torquay
  • Watford
  • Weston super Mare
  • Winchester
  • Windsor
  • Worcester
  • York

For media enquiries or images contact: Helen Fielding on 020 723 80723
Press Office: 020 7238 0866
Out of hours: 079659 108 883
Public enquiries: 020 7712 2171
Website: www.direct.gov.uk/disability/

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