Disabled parking places

How to request a disabled person's parking place (DPPP) on a public road.

Introduction

The increasing demand for parking in Oxfordshire can lead to particular difficulties for disabled people who need to park close to their homes or work. We may provide a disabled person's parking place (DPPP) on a public road where there is a need. 

DPPPs consist of:

  • a broken white line marking the limits of the space
  • an upright sign next to the space saying 'Disabled badge holders only.' 

In most cases, we write the word "DISABLED" on the road.

Residents can apply to have one of these parking places installed close to their home or work. 

Blue Badge holders and DPPPs

Blue Badge holders can park in Controlled Parking Zones

Blue Badge holders may park in all parking bays (residents, limited time, pay and display etc., except for car club bays) in Oxford's Controlled Parking Zones and residents' parking schemes in:

  • Abingdon
  • Bicester
  • Henley-on-Thames.

Blue Badge holders parking in these bays are exempt from payment or time limits.

Any Blue Badge holder can use a DPPP

No matter who has requested the disabled person's parking places (DPPP), any Blue Badge holder can park in it.

Any vehicle using a DPPP must display a current Blue Badge.

Qualifying for a DPPP

To qualify for a disabled person's parking place (DPPP), the following conditions must be met.

  • The applicant holds a valid Blue Badge and lives or works near the proposed DPPP.
  • There is a vehicle and driver permanently at the address.
  • There is no access to off-street parking (unless the applicant is the vehicle driver and their disability prevents them from using the off-street facility).
  • There must be a suitable location for the parking place on a public road. We cannot provide places on private land or land owned by another authority.

Other mobility problems may justify a DPPP, depending on individual circumstances.

How much a DPPP costs

There is no charge to you for a DPPP, and places are provided and maintained at our expense. 

Road markings and signing must conform to national regulations and have the backing of a Traffic Regulation Order. This will enable our parking enforcement contractor, police and traffic wardens to enforce them. 

How to apply

Complete the application form below and send it with the appropriate supporting documentation.

Apply for a disabled person's parking place

How we use your data

We will treat the information as confidential. We may check an address, badge and other identification with appropriate agencies during the application. We will enter information onto a secure computer database to manage the disabled person's parking place programme.

How long it takes

We need to establish or update Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) to make bays enforceable. It costs £3,652 for us to make TROs.

It is likely to take a minimum of nine months and is subject to resources being available.

We put applications for new spaces or removals in batches and process them in one order to save resources. The time from application to having a marked-out space can be up to 18 months.

What happens next

We check the information on the application form and will visit the site.

Consultation

There will then be consultation with representatives of the police, fire service and bus operators. We will inform the applicant of the outcome.

Advertising the parking space

If there are no objections, we tell people about the Traffic Regulation Order to bring in the DPPP.  We will:

  • advertise in the local newspaper
  • put up site notices
  • send letters to nearby properties.

This allows people to comment, support, or voice any concerns or objections about the proposed parking place.

Warning

By law, we must advertise the location of the proposed parking place. We do not include the applicant's name or the nature of their disability in the advert.

Reviewing the comments

At the end of the advertisement period, we review any comments. We report objections to the council’s Cabinet Member for Environment Decisions Meeting. These meetings happen about every two months.

We will tell you the meeting date so you can attend and make representations if you want to. We'll then give you the outcome of the decision.

Providing the parking space

If the objections are overruled, we can provide the DPPP.

We will mark out the DPPP and place a notice in the newspaper with the date that the DPPP will become enforceable.