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City of London Information Centre
St Paul's Churchyard,
London, EC4M 8BX

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All other transport | Driving and parking

Driving and parking for the disabled

Parking in the City of London for people with disabilities | Disabled visitors to the City | Pay and display bays | St Bartholomew's Hospital | City residents with disabilities | City workers with disabilities | Parking dispensation permits | How to apply for a City of London Red Badge | How to avoid parking tickets and fines | Congestion charging | Basic parking rules for people with disabilities

Parking in the City of London for people with disabilities

Due to the pressure on parking the national Blue Badge Scheme does not apply in Central London, including the City of London. However, in recognition of this unique situation, the City of London has made specific parking provisions within the Square Mile for people with disabilities.

Disabled visitors to the City

Over 200 sites have been designated as parking places for Blue badge holders visiting the City, which can be used for up to 3 hours on week days or at any time, with no time limit, on Saturdays and Sundays. Visitors are reminded that they should display their Blue badges and time clocks at all times.

Pay and display bays:

Where a valid payment ticket shows that payment has been made for parking at a pay and display bay, an additional hour of parking will be allowed after the expiry of paid for time.

St Bartholomew's Hospital

The demand for parking near St Bartholomew's Hospital often greatly exceeds the supply of parking places, but bays are available for Blue badge holders in West Smithfield, Bartholomew Close (with the exception of DBC11) and Giltspur Street, where parking is permitted for up to 6 hours.

City residents with disabilities

City Residents with disabilities may be eligible for a City of London Red badge which is valid only in the City of London and which allows the vehicle to wait:

  1. at pay and display bays without charge or time limit,
  2. at designated disabled parking bays without time limit,
  3. for up to 30 minutes on a single yellow line where there are no other loading or unloading restrictions, but not within 15 metres of a junction or at a pedestrian crossing, providing the inbuilt clock display has been adjusted to show the time the vehicle is first parked at the bay.

City workers with disabilities

People with disabilities who live outside the City but who:

  1. are permanently employed within the City on a full-time or part-time basis,
  2. are employed outside the City but work principally within it, can apply for a City of London Red badge, valid only in the City and which allows the vehicle to wait subject to the same restrictions as those set out above for City residents.

City workers with disabilities may also apply for a free season ticket for a City of London car park (where a car park is the closest parking place to the destination of the badge holder). This service is subject to a nominal administrative fee and you should contact the Parking Administration Section for further details. City of London, Parking Administration Section, Department of Environmental Services, PO Box 270 London EC2P 2EJ - telephone number 020 7332 1548

Parking dispensation permits

A Dispensation Permit may be issued in certain circumstances for parking at specific locations where other permitted parking is not available. Further details are available from the City of London's Street Management Services office on 020 7332 3553 or 020 7332 3554.

A minicom text phone service is available for those with impaired hearing on 020 7332 3545

How to apply for a City of London Red Badge

To request an application form for a Red badge, please contact: City of London, Parking Administration Section, Department of Environmental Services, PO Box 270 London EC2P 2EJ - telephone number 020 7332 1548. Each application is considered together with information provided by your GP.

As a general rule, people who are resident or employed in the City may qualify if they:

  1. receive the higher rate of the mobility component of the disability living allowance,
  2. are registered blind,
  3. have a permanent disability, which makes walking very difficult.

The granting of these parking provisions is at the sole discretion of the City of London.

How to avoid parking tickets and fines

  1. Read all parking signs and check road markings to ensure that you are allowed to park.
  2. Clearly display both your badge and clock. The badge should be displayed with the wheelchair-user symbol viewable NOT the photograph of the holder.
  3. Return within the time limit.

Congestion charging

Please contact telephone number 0845 900 1234 or visit the congesting charge web site on www.cclondon.com

Basic parking rules for people with disabilities

  1. Never cause an obstruction to other road users.
  2. Never stop at zigzag safety markings.
  3. Never double park or stop on junction corners.
  4. Never park on a pavement or anywhere where there is a loading ban.
  5. Never obstruct dropped kerbs.