Disabled Parking
Annual register for Blue Badges in ANPR car parks
Your blue badge details need to be updated each year for use in our ANPR car parks (details of how to register and update details are below)
+ Using car parks (off-street)
You need to display both the valid blue badge and time clock, set to the time of arrival. Note about Elwick Place Car Park- barrier controls. In order for you to benefit from the three hours free parking offered in our car parks you need to register your blue badge You will need to upload a copy of your badge as part of this process and identify the main vehicles in which the badge might be displayed (these details can be changed in the same way). If parked in a disabled bay in Elwick Place car park you must display your blue badge in your vehicle. Notes
If no disabled bay is available in the car park you may park in any standard bay and still benefit from three hours free parking. You need to display your blue badge and time clock, set to the time of arrival.
In all cases, if you are staying for longer than three hours, you must pay for parking for the entirety of your stay
Pedestrian Zone in Ashford town centre
Once the barrier has been closed to the pedestrian zone, access will not be granted to vehicles of blue badge holders.
+ Parking on the highway (on-street)
Shopmobility (Ashford town centre)
Wheelchairs and electric powered scooters are available for hire at Shopmobility Ashford, which is located in County Square Shopping Centre (Blue car park, Level 1).
For more information about Shopmobility Ashford and hire costs, telephone 01233 650063, or visit the County Square, Ashford website ('Shopper Information – Services').
+ Apply for a blue badge
For advice on application process and other information please visit the Kent County Council website, or telephone 03000 41 62 62
Apply for a blue badge online.
+ Apply for a disabled parking bay
1. Existing bay needs to be refreshed
If you are already using a bay and find that the markings are becoming hard to read, please contact us and we will endeavour to refresh it.Contact us about a faded disabled bay
Notes a) Lining schedules are created to cover a number of items at one time, to make best use of public funds. Therefore, there may be a delay between any report and subsequent lining work. we will try to keep this to a minimum, and we will inform you of any proposed lining date. b) We may also need to check to see that the bay is being used as intended. Over time, original applicants move on and whilst qualifying badge holders often take over use of the bay, we must ensure that any bay we continue to provide on the highway meets the criteria set by Kent County Council (see below)2. Apply for a new bay
Disabled residents within the borough who have limited mobility and regularly experience difficulty in parking close to their home can apply for installation of an on-street disabled persons parking bay. Rules are set by Kent County Council, as they manage the public roads in the borough. We process applications on their behalf within the borough.- Disabled parking bays are provided to help prevent or relieve traffic congestion
- Bays can be used by all blue badge holders- they are not personalised
- There is no charge for processing applications or for installation
Application form
Please use our Online Disable Parking Bay Application Form.You will be taken to a login screen, here you can register if you haven't used the service before or login if you’ve already registered.
You will be able to upload copies of supporting documentation whilst completing our online application.
Please save your form as you work through it. If you need to step away from your computer, you can rest assured that your form is saved. You can access your draft form again at any time by signing into your customer portal (link at the top of the councils website) and going to the ‘draft service requests’ section. Once you submit the form, it can be found in the ‘service requests’ section.
Criteria for bay applicants
You must meet the following criteria for your application to be considered:- The application must be made in the name of one registered disabled person. If this application is for a child under 18 years, please complete the application under a parent or carer’s name.
- The applicant must hold a valid disabled badge (a photocopy of both sides of the badge must be enclosed with the application form)
- a) If aged under 65, the applicant must be in receipt of entitlement to the higher rate disability living allowance – mobility component or the enhanced rate of the mobility component for personal independence payment (PIP) (a photocopy of this must be provided with your application). b) If aged over 65, the applicant must be in receipt of entitlement to the higher rate disability living allowance – mobility component, attendance allowance and/ or other mobility allowance (a photocopy of this must be provided with your application).
- The vehicle must be owned by the applicant (a photocopy of your vehicle registration document must be provided with your application).
- The applicant should hold a valid UK driving licence (a photocopy must be provided with your application).
- There must be no space available for parking your vehicle within the boundary of your property, such as a garage or driveway, or alternative parking provision such as a garage or off-street parking within 50 metres.
- There are parking problems within the road (you regularly have difficulty finding available space on street close to your property). This will be investigated as part of the application process.
- There must be no existing parking restrictions in place (i.e., yellow, or double yellow lines).
- The width of the carriageway from kerb to kerb should be at least 6.3 metres.
- Existing disabled parking bays in any one street should not exceed 5% of total parking places available.
- The bay is not required at a location, which may compromise public safety i.e., on a bend or the brow of a hill, close to a junction, within the turning head of a cul-de sac.
- The road must be owed and maintained by Kent County Council (you can find out more about public and private roads online.)
Please note that a disabled persons parking bay is available for all disabled badge holders and is NOT exclusively for the applicant’s use.
+ Privacy note for disabled bay applicants
Your information will be retained as long as you are in need of a disabled parking bay at the property, plus 6 years (or appropriate period). For more information about your data protection rights please see the council's data protection pages, which can be found at www.ashford.gov.uk or contact the Data Protection Officer at, The Data Protection Officer, Ashford Borough Council, Civic Centre, Tannery Lane, Ashford TN23 1PL.
Details of any unsuccessful application will be retained by the council for a period of three months following service of notification to the applicant. Application details and supporting documents will then be destroyed. This allows the applicant time to appeal to Kent County Council and for the necessary documents to be shared with the Kent County Council officer to facilitate that appeal. Any communication received after that period will therefore need to be treated as a new application.
Please do not send original documents with applications or whenever other documentary evidence is requested.
Documents will be held electronically – paper copies will not be retained. Any electronic copies will be held for as long as they are needed (see above for more information on retention).
Blue Badge fraud
Anyone who suspects a blue badge is being used incorrectly can report it to Kent County Council and by searching for “blue badge”.
Frequently Asked Questions
+ Where can I park with my disabled badge?
On-Street
The guidance relating to use of a disabled badge is given by gov.uk.
N.B. Information on where you can use your badge is shown in Section 2 (page 14) 'Where can I Park?'
Parking in Ashford Town Centre Pedestrian Zone
Ashford town centre is a pedestrian area at certain times, and there is an order preventing the movement of traffic here. Access is therefore strictly limited, in order to protect pedestrians.
- Access is restricted between 10.30am and 5pm Monday to Friday, and 8am to 6pm on Saturdays
- Access to the zone is not restricted by a barrier on Sundays
- You may enter the town centre before the barrier is closed, but not thereafter
- The area is for the use of pedestrians only
- This rule applies to disabled badge holders too
The central pedestrian zone of Ashford includes upper Bank Street, High Street, North Street and part of Park Street. There is also limited access to the New Rents (New Street) area.
If you wish to visit the town centre, and arrive after 10:30am, you would need to park in a parking place (designated disabled or standard), outside the zone, or in one of the town centre car parks.
Additionally, County Square has a Shopmobility service which is managed by the Customer Service team at County Square. This service can provide both electric scooters and manual wheelchairs for people who have difficulty walking without assistance. This service is available seven days per week. For bookings and more information telephone 01233 621196.
Off street (car parks) The rules relating to disabled badges only apply on-street. However, in Ashford Borough Council controlled car parks, vehicles displaying a valid disabled badge and time clock may park for free for up to three hours, in any disabled or standard bay. The time clock needs to be set to the time of arrival, due to the three hour period.
If you are staying for longer than three hours during the chargeable period, you need to purchase a Pay and Display ticket upon arrival for the entire period of your stay, and display this with your disabled badge if you park in a designated disabled bay.
You would be expected to follow the other rules of the car park (which are indicated on the tariff notice board, located next to each ticket machine). For example, you would be expected to park within the markings of a bay, even if other vehicles have parked inconsiderately.
+ What are the rules in the Restricted Parking Zone in Ashford?
As a consequence, notification that waiting and loading is prohibited is indicated by signs at the zone entry points and throughout the zone, not by yellow lines painted on the carriageway.
Restricted Parking Zones prohibit the following:
- Waiting at any time outside a designated parking bay
- Loading and unloading between 7am and 7pm Mondays to Saturdays except in a signed bay designated for the purpose of loading or unloading
- Parking in a loading bay during restricted hours without loading or unloading
- Parking on a taxi rank
- Parking on a restricted bus stop
- Parking in a designated disabled person's parking place without clearly displaying a valid disabled person's badge
- Parking in a pay and display parking place without clearly displaying either a pay and display ticket issued for that place or a resident's/visitor's exemption permit (valid for Zones A or B)
- Parking after the expiry of paid for time at a pay and display parking place
- Re-parking in the same pay and display parking place within one hour of leaving
Ashford's Restricted Parking Zone includes the following roads (either wholly or partly): Apsley Street, Bank Street, East Street, Elwick Road, Elwick Square, Forge Lane, Gasworks Lane, Godinton Road, Godinton Way, Middle Street, Norwood Gardens, Regents Place, Queen Street, Tufton Street, West Street.
+ I am a blue badge holder and I want to park for longer than three hours. What do I need to do?
If you are parked in a standard on-street bay there is no limit to the length of time you may park. You do not need to display a time clock. Most disabled bays on-street are also without limit, although there are some that permit a maximum stay of three hours (please check with signs when you park). This allows for a turnover of use of such bays, increasing the numbers of disabled badge holders that might benefit from their use. If you are parked on a 'no waiting' restriction (on double or single yellow lines) the three hour limit applies. This rule applies across England and Wales.
You would be expected to move off of the restriction, as the safety of road users is one of the reasons for the restriction to be installed in the first place.
+ Can I use the disabled badge in standard bays in the car park or on-street?
+ My blue badge has expired. Can I still use it?
We are aware that the application process can be lengthy, but we cannot accept that an expired blue badge can confer the same benefits as a valid badge; government guidance is clear that it does not.
Please refer to guidance from gov.uk.
Apply for a blue parking badge.
+ How do I get a disabled parking bay outside/near my property?
Applicants need to complete and submit the form and provide:
- Photocopies of their blue badge (both sides)
- V5C/Motability Hire agreement (whichever is applicable)
- Proof of entitlement to benefits (they do not necessarily need to be receiving the benefits, but must show proof of their entitlement as recorded by DWP)
