You must always display your Blue Badge and the disabled person's parking disc showing the time of arrival.

You can only park with a Blue Badge if the badge holder is driving the vehicle or the badge holder is being dropped off or picked up at the place where the vehicle is parked. The parking must be of benefit to the badge holder (eg a badge holder cannot stay in a parked vehicle whilst another person leaves the vehicles to visit as shop etc).

Where you can park with a Blue Badge

Badge holders may park free of charge and without any time limit at on-street parking meters and on-street "pay-and-display" parking, unless a local traffic order specifying a time limit for holders of disabled parking Badges, is in force.

Badge holders may be exempt from limits on parking times imposed on other users. Badge holders may usually park on single or double yellow lines for up to three hours except where there is a ban on loading or unloading. You cannot park the same vehicle in the same road for least one hour after leaving.

Remember: always check local signs for information on parking.

Parking on private land including council car parks

You are not automatically entitled to park free of charge in privately owned car parks.  Please check the signs in the car park for any restrictions.

Blue Badge holders can park in Bedford Borough Council car parks free of charge and without any  time limit.

Places you must not park

The Blue Badge is not a licence to park anywhere. You must NOT park:

• during the time a ban on loading or unloading is in force (normally indicated by one or two yellow marks on the kerb at the times shown on post mounted plates) .
• where there are double white lines in the centre of the road even if one of the lines is broken
• in a bus or tram lane during its hours of operation
• in a cycle lane
• on any clearway, double or single red lines during their hours of operation
• on Zebra, Pelican or Toucan crossings
• on zig-zag markings before and after Zebra, Pelican or Toucan crossings
• in parking places reserved for specific users eg loading bays, taxis, cycles
• on a residents parking bay, unless there are signs showing that you may do so
• in suspended meter bays or when use of the meter is prohibited
• where temporary restrictions on parking are in force along a length of road eg as indicated by no-waiting cones
• on school "keep clear" markings during the hours shown on a yellow no-stopping plate

Parking causing an obstruction

If you park where it would cause an obstruction or danger to other road users your vehicle could be removed by the police. You could also be prosecuted and your badge withdrawn.

The vehicle must be moved if a police officer or a traffic warden in uniform requests it.

Examples:

• at school entrances, bus stops, on a bend, or near the brow of a hill or hump bridge 
• where it would make it difficult for others to see clearly eg close to a junction
• where it would make the road narrow eg by a traffic island or where roadwork is in progress
• where it would hold up traffic eg in narrow stretches of road or blocking vehicle entrances
• where emergency vehicles stop or go in and out eg hospital entrances
• where the kerb has been lowered or the road raised to form a pedestrian crossing
• on a pavement unless signs permit it