Supplementary memorandum from Department
for Transport (BBS 11)
Further to my appearance before the Committee
on Wednesday 2 April, I would like to clarify my answer to your
question on the number of disabled parking bays in the Country
(question 140), to avoid any confusion following the news release
from the Office for Disability Issues (ODI).
As I said, there are no national figures available
on the number of Blue Badge parking bays in the country. However,
there is an interactive online service available, referred to
as the "Blue Badge Map" on www.direct.gov.uk, which
helps to identify disabled parking bays. When it was introduced
in 2006, this covered 64 towns and cities in the UK. The ODI,
who have the policy lead for this initiative, have just issued
the attached press release announcing the extension of this service
to a further 55 towns and cities. The map does not therefore provide
information on all of the disabled parking bays available in the
country.
Even though this is referred to as the Blue
Badge Map, it covers more than just Blue Badge parking bays, it
also provides information on accessible rail and underground stations;
accessible petrol stations, accessible public toilets and even
accessible beaches; as well as information on mobility centres
and shopmobility centres for example.
The online Blue Badge Map enables people to
search by postcode or town/area name for facilities available
to them in their area.
I hope this will be of assistance to the Committee
in explaining the current information available to disabled badge
holders.
April 2008
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