About the Blue Badge Scheme

General Information

The Blue Badge Scheme (previously the Orange Badge Scheme) is a national arrangement of parking concessions for people with walking difficulties who travel either as drivers or passengers.

The scheme also applies to registered blind people, and people with very severe upper limb disabilities who regularly drive a vehicle but cannot turn a steering wheel by hand. It allows badge holders to park close to their destination, but the national concessions apply only to on-street parking.

The Blue Badge Scheme is effectively a replacement for the Orange Badge Scheme. The new European style Blue Badge, introduced in April 2000, will replace existing badges as they come up for renewal, or as new applications are processed. Orange Badges will not be recognised after 31 March 2003.

More information about the Blue Badge scheme is available on the Department for Transport website.