Appendix A - Parking Services Policy Library
Introduction
These documents form the operational guidance and strategic link for Parking Services. It promotes consistency across the service, and supports officers in their decision making
Approval committee date: ETS committee June 21 (TBC)
1.2 Aim of Policy
This policy document sets out the eligibility requirements for obtaining a concession, parking permit or requesting changes to parking restrictions. In addition to meeting audit requirements the approval of this document formalises the procedures already in place, promotes consistency, and supports officers in their decision making to ensure only those eligible receive
1.3 Policy Scope
The policy is subordinate to any legislation, central government guidance or local corporate policy that covers these areas of administration.
1.4 Councils Corporate strategy
The parking policy is directly linked to improving access to the city for disabled people by allowing blue badge holders to park in permit bays in light touch parking schemes and encouraging residents to make choices that support the councils carbon neutral strategy.
1.5 Equalities Impact Assessment
EIA no. currently in draft
1.6 Lasts reviewed by and date:
First issue
Contents
All fees and charges for parking permits can be found within the latest fees and charges committee documents. The cost may vary depending on; if the permit holder is also blue badge holder or lives with a blue badge holder, car emissions, Controlled parking zone and how many vehicles are in a household.
Pro rata payment must be made if when moving address, the new CPZ is subject to a higher permit fee.
Pro rata payment must be made if the new permanent vehicle is subject to a higher permit fee
Refunds due are calculated per calendar day.
No refunds are given for permits surrendered where only an administration fee only has been paid, for example a blue badge holder resident permit or an event day resident permit.
A pro rata refund may be applied for where an applicant has been issued a Blue Badge during the life cycle of the resident permit that has been paid in full.
A pro rata refund for the remaining complete calendar days will be applied for if when moving address, the new CPZ is subject to a lower permit fee.
A pro rata refund for remaining calendar day will be issued where a vehicle is changed and due a refund due to lower emissions
A refund will not be issued for a temporary change
Refunds will be made to the named business or organisation rather than individual for non-resident permits
This document sets out the eligibility for a resident’s permit and applies to both full and light touch controlled and event day parking zones.
Eligibility
The applicant must meet the residency criteria by providing two documents to verify residency. Please see appendix A for acceptable proofs.
Upon a renewal application only the accepted documents listed in appendix A will be accepted.
Only lease/hire agreements in excess of 6 months will be accepted. Shorter lease/hire agreements will not qualify for a resident’s permit. Concessions will only be made in exceptional circumstances and at the service manager discretion.
All applicants will be required to complete an application form for assessment and chose the permit type corresponding to their vehicle’s Co2 emissions pricing band.
All applicants who hold a Blue Badge will be required to provide the Blue Badge number in order to claim the permit charge waiver.
In cases where the applicant has applied for a Blue Badge which has not yet been granted at the time of the resident permit application, the full permit charge will apply however, a pro rata refund may be claimed once the Blue Badge is granted.
All applicants will be required to prove their vehicle, length, weight, and height if required to facilitate the application assessment.
Any vehicle exceeding 6 metres in length, 2540Kg in weight or 2.25 metres in height will not qualify for a resident’s parking permit. Concessions will only be made in exceptional circumstances and at service manager discretion.
No permits will be issued in a full controlled parking zone where there is off-street parking is available.
All applicants are required to declare they agree to have their Council Tax records checked in order to facilitate the assessment process.
All applicants will be required to declare their application address is not;
· a ‘second home’
· they are not a landlord
· the application address is not a holiday home.
· Designated a car free development
Resident’s permits will not be issued where an applicant has been identified within one of the three categories listed above.
Conditions of use
In order to claim the parking concession, a resident’s permit must be displayed on the vehicle’s windscreen or dashboard in way that is clearly visible to a Civil Enforcement Officer. Failure to display the permit in such manner may result in the issue of a Penalty Charge Notice.
This document sets out the eligibility for a change of address for a resident-, car share-, non-professional carer- and business permit, both within the same CPZ and between different CPZs.
Eligibility
The permit holder must notify the council of their change of address and update their parking permit when moving address.
A resident with a valid Blue Badge automatically qualifies for a change of address for their resident parking permit. The signed application must be submitted with supporting evidence of the new residency.
People with proof of Power of Attorney for a resident living in a CPZ – the application must be made in the resident’s name and proof of their residency supplied.
To ensure eligibility, address verification is required. Please see appendix A for list of accepted documents
Updated vehicle documents at the correct address is required to be submitted on renewal.
The permit holder must surrender the physical valid permit for the previous CPZ and submit the supporting evidence as stated on the application form. This must be returned to Parking Services, by post or by emailing or uploading a photo of their destroyed permit. (This should be the permit cut into 4 parts so it can still be legible in the photo) before a new permit can be issued.
A new permit will only be issued on receipt of the completed application, payment due, old permit if required and address documentation.
If no physical permit has been issued to the permit holder, because i.e. the permit is virtual, we do not require the permit returned.
The expiry date of the updated permit will remain the same if the permit holder moves to an address within the existing controlled parking zone. If the permit holder moves to an address which is in a different parking zone, the existing permit is refunded and a new one must be bought.
The change of a permit can be applied for on behalf of the permit holder, with written consent from the permit holder.
Waiting List
If moving within the same CPZ and a permit is already held, then the applicant will not be required to re-join the waiting list. If moving to a different CPZ where there is a waiting list the applicant will be required to re-join the waiting list.
If the permit holder moves from a non-waiting list CPZ into a CPZ holding a waiting list, a Change of address cannot be applied for. The current valid permit must be surrendered before an application to the waiting list can be made.
Conditions of use
A valid permit for the current controlled parking zone must be on display at all times inside the vehicle. Failure to do so could result in Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) being issued.
This document sets out the eligibility for a change of vehicle on a resident, car share, trader, business- carer’s and Norton Road Car Park Permit, both permanent and temporary.
Eligibility
The permit holder must update their parking permit when changing their vehicle.
People with proof of Power of Attorney for a resident living in a CPZ – the application must be made in the resident’s name and one proof of their residency supplied.
To ensure eligibility, verification of residency and new permanent vehicle is required. Please see appendix A for accepted documents
Permanent Change of Vehicle
The permit holder must surrender the physical valid permit with the previous Vehicle Registration Mark and submit the supporting evidence as stated on the application form. This must be returned to Parking Services, by post or by emailing or uploading a photo of their destroyed permit. (This should be the permit cut into 4 parts so it can still be legible in the photo) before a new permit can be issued
A new permit will only be issued on receipt of the completed application, payment due, old permit, address and vehicle documentation.
If no physical permit has been issued to the permit holder, because i.e. the permit is virtual, we do not require the permit returned.
The expiry date of the updated permit will remain the same.
The permanent change of a permit can be applied for on behalf of the permit holder, with written consent from the permit holder.
Temporary Change of Vehicle
The permit holder, with a valid permit, can apply for a temporary flag to be issued to cover a courtesy vehicle because their usual vehicle is undergoing works The temporary flag must not be used to avoid paying charges due because of a change in vehicle. Temporary flags lasting longer than 10 days may require the applicant to provide evidence of ongoing works. Temporary flags will not be issued for more than 1 month. A change of vehicle of over 1 month must apply for a permanent change of vehicle and pay the appropriate charge. Re-occurring requests will require evidence of ongoing works.
Conditions of use
The flag can only cover one vehicle at any one time and is vehicle specific.
Once the flag is expired, or the maximum duration available has been used up, alternative parking must be sought.
Replacement
If the old permit cannot be retrieved, a Duplicate Permit will be issued. application to be submitted where the permit holder must state the circumstances. Proof of this is required.
Discretion / Exceptional Circumstances
Discretion to issue additional time in form of a temporary code in exceptional circumstances which fall outside the eligibility criteria will be considered by a Manager or Team Leader of the customer service team.
Example of exceptional circumstances include the vehicle waiting for parts or extensive repair of the vehicle. Proof of the exceptional circumstance is required.
This document sets out the eligibility and requirements for an application for any physical duplicate permit.
Eligibility
To ensure permit holders are eligible, verification of residency is required. Please see appendix A for accepted documents. A new permit will only be issued on receipt of the completed application and any payment due,
The expiry date of the duplicated permit will remain the same.
Discretion / Exceptional Circumstances
Parking Services are not able to duplicate a permit without the requested documents, and a new permit must be applied for. In this case, a refund on the unavailable permit, cannot be requested.
This document sets out the eligibility for an application for a Car Share permit.
Cost
The concessionary price of a car share permit, when applied for with a valid Blue Badge, only applies to the permit held by the blue badge holder.
The main applicant is responsible for full payment of the permit charge.
Eligibility
Residents of Brighton & Hove living in a CPZ aged 17 or older who reside at the address for 5 nights per week or more.
The
main applicant is required to submit the vehicle documents
registered to them, at the application address, (Please see
appendix A for accepted documents) as well as the valid motor
insurance document showing both applicants as named drivers.
An application for a car share permit where one permit is for a CPZ with a waiting list can only be processed if they have reached the top of the waiting list and have been invited to apply for a permit.
A car share permit cannot be applied for, if either applicant already holds a valid resident parking permit.
An application will be rejected if the applicant does not yet reside at the property for five nights or more per week.
A car share permit can only be applied for, if both residents live in different CPZs.
A car share permit cannot be applied for if either property is conserved a “Car Free Development”.
The
permit(s) will only be issued on receipt of the submitted
application, payment due, address and vehicle documentation.
The application form must be signed by both permit
holders.
In the case of a virtual permit system, no physical permit will be issued.
Permit length, Renewals and Change of Vehicle
The car share permit(s) are only available as a full annual permit(s). The permit(s) will be renewed at the same time.
If the main applicant changes the vehicle during the validity of the permit, new permits will only be issued on receipt of the permits, fee due for each permit, vehicle and residency documents.
.
Discretion / Exceptional Circumstances
Discretion in exceptional circumstances, which fall outside the eligibility criteria will be considered by a Manager or Team Leader of the customer service team.
Proof of the exceptional circumstance is required.
A resident with a valid Blue Badge automatically qualifies for a resident parking permit in a zone with a waiting list. They do not need to join and should instead apply for the car share permit.
Resident Visitor Permit allocations
The annual allocation runs from the date of the first purchase for a rolling year and will be refreshed at that date each year after. Resident Visitor Permits not purchased are not carried forward to the next rolling year.
The amount of Resident Visitor Permits allocated depends on which zone the resident lives in and is set out in the most recent years fees and charges committee documents.
Additional permits may be issued in exceptional circumstances such as a bereavement.
Eligibility
Residents of Brighton & Hove living in a CPZ aged 16 or older who reside at the address for 5 nights per week or more.
Or
are second home-owners with property in a CPZ, if they live outside of a BHCC CPZ.
People with proof of Power of Attorney for a resident living in a CPZ – the application must be made in the resident’s name and two proofs of their residency supplied.
To ensure residents are eligible verification of residency is required. When applying online we will attempt to match the data with existing council records. However, if we are unable to verify residency of the applicant, we will require 2 documents to verify your address. Please see appendix A for list of accepted documents.
Resident Visitor Permits are not available for Businesses, including holiday rental properties.
Landlords do not qualify for Resident Visitor Permits
Residents not living in a CPZ are not eligible to apply for visitor permits
Resident Visitor Permit allows parking for one calendar day.
Resident Visitor permits have an expiry date.
The permits are valid for a minimum of 12 months.
A minimum of 12 months will be available on the Resident Visitor Permits as they are intended to be an annual allocation to be used in that rolling year.
Customers should purchase the amount they require for their rolling year, as expired permits are non-refundable. Expired permits cannot be used.
Resident wanting to purchase visitor permits at a new address are required to provide proof of residency at the new address.
Resident with valid Resident Visitor Permits for an old address can exchange them for Resident Visitor Permits valid within the new parking zone. The permits will need to be returned to parking services at the address below for us to swap them. A new allocation will be given for the new address.
Refunds
Resident Visitor Permits are non-transferable and non-refundable.
If the resident moves out of the City or no longer live in a CPZ we will refund any valid Resident Visitor Permits not used. They will be refunded at the price paid for them at the time of purchase. The permits must be returned before the refund is completed
Replacement
We do not replace any Resident Visitor Permits that have been damaged or filled in incorrectly.
Discretion / Exceptional Circumstances
Discretion to issue Resident Visitor Permits in exceptional circumstances which fall outside the eligibility criteria will be considered by a Manager or Team Leader of the customer service team. Visitor permits remain chargeable when discretion is applied.
Example of exceptional circumstances include; a medical need or bereavement. Additional example include issuing Resident Visitor Permits to relatives of a resident, who lived in a CPZ, and has died and their house needs to be cleared or need visitor permits to assist with funeral arrangements. Proof of the exception circumstance will is required.
This document sets out the eligibility for a carers permit.
Eligibility
The applicant is the carer however, the eligibility assessment is carried out on the ‘person to be cared for’ as the resident.
The ‘person to be cared for’ must provide a declaration signed by their GP to confirm that they require to be care for. This declaration is required upon any new application or renewal of a carer’s permit. Any charge made by the GP is to be paid for by the applicant or the carer.
To ensure eligibility, address verification is required of the person to be cared for, not the carer. A list of accepted documents is listed in appendix A
The
permit itself is issued in the carers name, as the permit
user.
An application form must be completed and submitted.
Conditions of use
Carer Permits must only be used by the carer while carrying out their duties of care to the ‘person to be cared for’ only and not for any other reason.
Permits can only be used to park in the zone specified on the permit in a permit or shared use bay.
This document sets out the eligibility for a business permit.
Eligibility
Permits will not be issued for commuting purposes or to provide general parking. The applicant must demonstrate a genuine need that a vehicle is needed to carry out day to day work. A need to load/unload to the business premises is not a qualifying criterion. The applicant will be required to fill in a questionnaire to help establish eligibility. People who are required to regularly leave and return to their business premises because their business and customer transactions occur away from the business premises. For example, estate agents, surveyors, chiropodist.
To ensure eligibility, address verification is required. These are specified in Appendix A
A vehicle document is not required for this permit.
Business permits are not available for parking zones Y & Z.
A maximum of 2 permits per business applies in all cases.
This document sets out the eligibility for hotel visitor permits
Refund
Hotel visitor permits are non-refundable and non-exchangeable. In the event a hotel closes or moves out of the CPZ refunds will be issued for remaining valid permits returned.
Eligibility
The applicant must own, run or manage a hotel within the city in parking zones C or N.
To
ensure eligibility, verification is required. Documents must be
dated within 3 months and addressed to the hotel or its business
group. A list of accepted documents can be found in Appendix A.
Documents addressed to small guest house owners (individuals) will
assessed on a case by case basis.
A cap to the number of hotel visitor permits applies. This is calculated in the first application. The cap is allocated to the hotel’s account after the initial assessment.
Number of bedrooms rooms available minus number of rooms let to a resident, off street parking places and resident permits held plus 1 x 365 = maximum number of permits available to purchase.
Conditions of use
Hotel visitor permits must only be used by the hotel’s visitors and cannot be re-sold to hotel guests or anyone else for a profit. Any hotel found to be doing this will not be sold any further permits.
This document sets out the eligibility for a trader’s permit.
Eligibility
Traders
permits are only issued to those who are required to use their
vehicle as a mobile workshop or are unable to carry out their job
without access to the vehicle. To ensure eligibility, verification
is required. One proof of trading is required. An application form
must be completed for assessment. Accepted documents to
verify business address are in appendix A.
A vehicle document is not required for this permit.
This document sets out the eligibility for a School Permit.
Eligibility
Only the Headteacher of a School or a Nursery Manager may apply for a School Permit.
The application must be made in the School/Nursery name with the Headteacher/Nursery Manager as the responsible party for administering the permit.
Applications must be submitted once yearly to comply with eligibility criteria. Ad-hoc applications will be considered at the council’s discretion and charged on a pro-rata basis.
To ensure eligibility;
verification
of teaching staff numbers is required.The document must be letter
headed and dated within 3 months. It must contain a list of all
teaching staff names and current positions. The application must be
completed by the Headteacher/Nursery manager.
The school must be Ofsted or ISI (Independent School Inspectorate) Registered.
Must complete 2 new items on a checklist that is different to the year before. All the items on the checklist will promote active and sustainable travel.
Must complete a survey (10% of staff must complete the survey).
Please note that the School Parking Permits will be issued using a new formula. The formula will deduct the amount of off-street parking bays a school has declared, before calculating the ‘1 permit to every 6-teaching staff ratio’, up to a maximum of 25, within full parking schemes.
Within light touch schemes, the formula will deduct the amount of off-street parking bays a school has declared, before calculating the permit allocation which is ‘1 permit to every 3- teaching staff’ ratio, up to a maximum of 50.
No vehicle documentation is required as School Permits are shared between teaching staff.
School Permits must only be used by teaching staff while carrying out their duties and not for any other reason.
Dispensation must be clearly displayed on the dashboard with the timeclock set to arrival time while providing duties listed on application.
Dispensation Permit will be offered to those who provide essential services in the city to keep it running, and to council workers who are required to make short and frequent stops throughout the city to provide essential services.
Only the vehicle stated on the permit can park in permit bays in any controlled parking zone, for up to 1 hour and on yellow lines for up to 30 minutes (except where there is a loading ban in place indicated by chevron kerb markings), providing the vehicle is not parked dangerously or causing obstruction.
Eligibility
Application for a parking dispensation can be submitted by employee or employer on behalf of the staff requiring a dispensation to carry essential duties.
A cover letter and staff ID must be submitted as part of the application. It should be on headed paper from management confirming:
- essential duties which are to be carried out
- stay will be no longer than permitted while using dispensation
Fees and Charges
All fees and charges for parking infrastructure requests can be found at the latest fees and charges committee documents.
This document sets out the qualifying criteria and process of implementation of Access Protection Markings (APM). These are also known as white lines across a driveway or legal dropped kerb.
To qualify for an access protection marking, the applicant must meet all eligibility criteria and submit a complete application to us:
The applicant must live in Brighton and Hove adjacent to a public highway. We cannot install an APM on private roads and housing land.
An APM may be installed where requested by an owner of a property provided there is a legal dropped kerb.
If there are waiting restrictions, such as existing yellow lines, an application will not be considered and deemed unnecessary as the existing road markings are already enforceable by Civil Enforcement Officers.
Where a vehicle access is shared by two properties both properties will need to give consent, but this can be submitted on one application.
APMs will only cover the extent of the dropped crossing from the start of one dropped kerb to the end of the other in addition to up to 1 metre either side. Dropped crossings are considered as vehicle or footway crossings.
APMs will not be supplied to prevent parking on the opposite side of the road from the dropped kerb.
If the APM is requested to be refreshed by the property owner, this will be at the expense of the applicant/property owner.
If the APM needs refreshing following roadworks, this will be done at the Council’s expense.
This document sets out the qualifying criteria and process of implementation of Disabled Bays within and outside of controlled parking zones (CPZs).
To qualify for a disabled bay on the public highway, the applicant must meet all the relevant eligibility criteria and submit a complete application to us.
Permanently and primarily reside at the address within Brighton and Hove for which the disabled bay is applied for. A permanent resident is identified as living at the address for a minimum of 5 nights per week. Applications will not be considered for second or holiday homes.
Where the holder of a valid blue badge is not the driver of the vehicle, they must permanently live at the same address as the blue badge holder.
There are no available suitable off-street parking spaces. A suitable available parking space could include but is not limited to be a driveway, garage or hardstanding. We will take incline, width as well as the practicality and ease of accessibility for the blue badge holder into account.
Full valid driving licence - registered to the applicant at the applicant's address.
Blue badge Details
V5C, insurance certificate/schedule or mobility vehicle agreement – the applicant must be the registered keeper.
Where the holder of a valid disabled badge is not the driver of a vehicle, they will need to provide supporting medical evidence to show that the nominated driver has to manually handle any essential medical equipment, such as oxygen tank required for the blue badge holder.
In the case where the holder of a valid blue badge is not the driver of a vehicle and the driver of the vehicle is unable to safely set down the badge holder to park further away as they cannot be left unattended for any duration, for example they are a child or suffer with dementia, supporting medical evidence is required.
A completed application form
Location Criteria
To help decide on whether to approve an application, and to identify possible locations for the disabled bay, we will undertake a site visit to consider:
On approval a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) procedure is followed. This is a legal process which enables enforcement of the bay once implemented.
In the case of a rejected application, an appeal may be submitted by the applicant in writing. Such an appeal will be re-assessed by a different member of the team.
We retain the right to apply judgement in circumstances which would override the above criteria. These could include, but are not limited to, the following:
The nature of the road and footway being such that crossing would be made more difficult for the blue badge holder, for example a steep incline. In this case we will endeavour to find a different suitable location. If no suitable location within 50 metres from the applicant’s address can be found, the council will not be able to move forward with the application and this will need to be rejected.
All bays are subject to annual reviews to establish the continuing need. If the bay is no longer in consistent use, we reserve the right to revoke and remove the bay. Refer to the current Traffic Regulation Order (TRO).
A bay would be classed as not being in use consistently if the applicant is deceased, has moved away or is no longer eligible.
This document sets out the qualifying criteria of Doctors- and Ambulance Bays.
A doctor’s parking bay is available for doctors who require a bay sited near their surgery or consulting room, enabling a quick response to emergency call outs.
An application must be made in writing. The application must outline a detailed description/reason why the bay(s) are required, the name of the applicant, details of the surgery and contact information.
After the request is received a site visit will be carried out. During the site visit, we will establish impact on the surrounding streets, traffic flow and possible location. We will endeavour to find a suitable space in the vicinity of the surgery.
Each surgery can apply for a maximum of two doctor’s bays.
Where a surgery has merged with another, we will consider further bays to accommodate the needs of the surgery.
Doctors' parking bays are not provided to enable routine home visits or other non-emergency vehicle use. Where the surgery has access to off street parking facilities these must also be used for parking purposes and not for general commuter parking in order for a doctor's bay to be granted.
An annual doctor’s parking permit which must be obtained from the parking department and must be on display in the vehicle when this is parked in the bay.
On approval the legal process as set out in the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) is followed.
An application must be made in writing. The application must outline a detailed description/reason why the bay is required and the name and contact details of the applicant/organisation.
The bay can only be requested and used by an “ambulance vehicle”. This is specified as a motor vehicle which is constructed or adapted, and primarily used for carriage of person to or from a place where they will receive medical treatment; and which by reason of design, marking or equipment is readily identifiable. Evidence of this must be supplied on application.
After the request is received a site visit will be carried out. During the site visit we will assess the application and establish the impact on the surrounding streets, traffic flow and a possible location.
On approval the legal process as set out in the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) is followed.
This document sets out the qualifying criteria and application process for motorcycle bays.
To qualify for a motorcycle bay on the public highway, the applicant must meet all eligibility criteria.
A request for a Motorcycle Bay (M/C bay) must be made in writing. The request must contain a description as to why a new M/C bay is needed, an exact location and contact details of the applicant.
The location where the M/C bay is requested must be within Brighton and Hove and on public highway. We cannot install M/C bays on private roads.
A M/C bay may be installed where requested provided there is no established available M/C bay near the location.
A site visit will be carried out to establish suitability of the preferred location. We must consider noise disruption to nearby properties such as basement flats or incline of the road and weather conditions.
A M/C bay will be located as close to the applicant’s request as it is reasonably possible.
We reserve the right to remove a M/C bay should this not be in frequent use throughout the week.
On approval the legal process as set out in the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) is followed.
If objections are received, we may not be able to continue with the application.
This document sets out the process and criteria of No Loading Restrictions.
A request must be made in writing and must include a detailed description of the issue and exact location.
We will conduct a site visit and assess the issue as stated in the request.
1. Loading restrictions will only be considered where no waiting restrictions have already been applied to the public highway.
2. Loading restrictions will only be considered at certain locations, such as busy shopping areas and/or city centres, where loading is having a major impact on traffic flow and causes congestion to all road users.
3. The restrictions will only prohibit loading during prescribed times. These can vary between different locations.
.
This document sets out the qualifying criteria and process of implementation of Personalised Disabled Bays within and outside of controlled parking zones (CPZs).
This
policy shall be used in conjunction with the Disabled Bay
Policy.
A personalised disabled bay will only be considered as a last resort and we will explore all other alternative solutions before considering an application for a personalised disabled bay.
Our experience has shown that personalised disabled bays are difficult to administer and are often ineffective as the applicant still often finds people parking in the bay.
If the request is approved, the applicant is liable to an application fee and is required to obtain an annual permit for the bay from the Parking Department. Refer to the current fees and charges document.
To qualify for a personalised disabled bay on the public highway, the applicant must meet all of the below:
Applications for a personalised disabled bay at an address where the applicant does not permanently reside at, will not be considered.
Requests for a personalised disabled bay, where the driver of a private motor vehicle or any other form of transportation, lives at a different address, will not be considered. In this case, the driver is expected to relocate the vehicle to a legal parking space after, for example picking up or dropping off the Blue Badge Holder or loading and unloading shopping.
All bays are subject to annual reviews to establish the continuing need. If the parking permit has not been renewed, and the bay is no longer in consistent use, or the applicant died, we reserve the right to revoke and remove the bay. Please refer to the current Traffic Regulation Order (TRO).
This document sets out the requirements, criteria, assessment and process of Controlled Parking Schemes (CPZs).
Support for this type of request can be shown by asking other
residents to sign an online petition (also known as e-petition) via
the Brighton and Hove City Council website. We also accept paper
petitions, this can either be sent to us or given to your local
councillor. Paper petitions must include printed names and full
addresses of each resident signing it.
2. All proposed and existing parking schemes will need to be added to the ‘parking scheme priority timetable’ agreed at the Environment Transport & Sustainability (ETS) committee meeting.
3. Schemes may be light touch or a full scheme following the results from the consultation and surrounding schemes. A light touch zone is a parking scheme with two separate enforceable hours throughout the day. A full scheme is a parking zone, which is enforceable all day.
4. Where parking bays are unable to be installed on the public highway, waiting restrictions (yellow lines) shall be applied along the kerbside to protect the movement of traffic and prevent obstruction to all road users.
5. Double yellow lines will apply to all legal crossovers & dropped kerbs in order for a parking scheme to operate fully. All access protections markings will be removed upon implementation of a scheme and replaced with double yellow line restrictions.
6. Prior to a new scheme being implemented the process consists of three rounds of consultation, each round requires a committee approval.
7. Wider transport improvement works, such as pedestrian crossings and bus stop build outs, will not be considered as part of the residents parking scheme consultation. Suggestions can be passed to the relevant transport department for their consideration.
8. All Residents’ Parking Schemes shall be self-financing in order to operate fully.
This document sets out the process and criteria of Waiting Restrictions (yellow lines).
A request must be made in writing and must include a detailed description of the issue and exact location.
We will conduct a site visit and assess the issue as stated in the request.
The aim of the Blue Badge Scheme is to help those with severe mobility problems and hidden disabilities access goods and services by allowing them to park close to their destination. The scheme is open to disabled people irrespective of whether they are traveling as a driver or passenger.
The Department for Transport (DfT) is responsible for outlining the legislation that sets the framework for the Blue Badge scheme. The DfT issues guidance for Local Authorities based on this framework, which Brighton and Hove City Council follow.
The Blue Badge and Concessionary Travel team within Brighton and Hove City Council is responsible for the day-day administration and enforcement of the Blue Badge scheme.
Eligibility
It is the responsibility of Brighton and Hove City Council to ensure that badges are only issued to residents who satisfy one or more of the eligibility criteria set out in the legislation that governs the scheme. Under no circumstances should anyone who does not satisfy at least one of the criteria receive a badge.
Details of the Eligibility criteria are set out in the guidance which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-blue-badge-scheme-local-authority-guidance-england/blue-badge
When applying under the’ without further assessment’ criteria, applicants must supply the full benefit award letter showing they receive the specific benefits as defined in the DfT guidance. These letters must be dated within the past 12 months.
When applying for a badge with Personal Independence Payment (PIP) the Council must see the full award letter showing the points and the serial numbers at the bottom of each page.
When applying under the ‘subject to further assessment’ criteria applicants should provide any supporting documents to help support their application. This can be medical letters or reports from a specialist that outlines their conditions.
BHCC will carry out a desk-based assessment on all of the information provided in the application form and any supporting evidence attached.
The final decision of awarding a Blue Badge will always be made by BHCC.
BHCC will make every effort to assist applicants with applying under the most relevant eligibility criteria for their situation.
Core Personal Data, Photographs and fees
All applicants must either supply documents to prove their identity and address, or provide us with consent to check in house systems to do this on their behalf. Consent tick boxes are found on both the paper and online application forms.
If consent is not given or we cannot confirm the applicant’s identity or an address from our inhouse systems, applicants will be asked to supply further documents to prove this.
An application cannot be assessed without the applicant’s identity and address being verified.
Proof of Identity – must show applicant’s current name
All applicants will be required to submit a recent passport style colour photograph with their application, whether it is for a new badge or a renewal. It is important that all badges have photographs that show a true likeness to the badge holder. This helps to reduce abuse of the scheme and enables effective enforcement. Guidelines for the photo can be found in the DfT guidance 3.36.
All successful applicants are required to pay a fee towards the administration and issue of their Blue Badge. In the case of an unsuccessful application, the fee will be refunded to the applicant if the payment has already been made.
The fee may also be charged for replacements due to damage or the badge being lost or stolen.
Discretionary decisions concerning fees, documents or eligibility may be made by the Blue Badge and Concessionary Travel Manager.
In cases where eligibility is not clear, eligibility assessments are carried out to determine the effect of a disability or condition on an applicant’s walking and range of movement.
Eligibility Assessments are carried out by an Expert Assessor as defined in the DfT guidance.
The Expert Assessor uses a pre-defined scoring system to complete the assessment. All distances in the assessment are pre-measured and are the same for all applicants.
In some cases, home based assessments are available, however these are only available to those who are unable to travel to the assessment as their mobility is severely limited. Home visits will be at the discretion of the Blue Badge and Concessionary Travel Manager.
ID must be shown to the assessor at the beginning of the assessment. The Expert Assessor will not continue with the Eligibility Assessment if they are unable to verify the applicant’s identity at the time of the appointment.
In the majority of cases, a face to face Eligibility Assessment is necessary so that the Expert Assessor can observe the applicant directly. However, particularly for applications for Hidden Disabilities, a face to face appointment may not be necessary in every case. The Expert Assessor will make a recommendation for a telephone only appointment, if necessary, after reviewing the application form and supporting information.
The Expert Assessor will send the results of the assessment to the Blue Badge team who will then use the recommendations to make the final decision whether to issue a Blue Badge.
Appointments are booked in advance and will be confirmed via letter where possible. Appointments can be rescheduled if an applicant has contacted us and can no longer make their original appointment.
If an applicant does not attend their arranged appointment 3 times in a row and we have not been told that they want to cancel their appointment, we may charge the applicant the cost of the appointment.
BHCC will make every effort to ensure that all reasonable adjustments are implemented where possible in order to make the Eligibility Assessment accessible for all.
Refusal to engage in an Eligibility Assessment may result in the application being withdrawn due to insufficient evidence to support the application.
An organisational badge may be issued to an organisation for use in a motor vehicle or vehicles when the vehicle or vehicles are to be used to carry disabled people who would themselves be eligible for a badge.
An ‘organisation’ is defined in the 2000 Regulations as meaning an organisation concerned with the care of disabled persons to which a disabled person’s badge may be issued.
BHCC will check that an organisation applying for a Blue Badge are caring for and transporting ten or more disabled people who would themselves meet one or more of the eligibility criteria for an individual Blue Badge; or that the vehicles that they use to transport residents is classified disabled persons vehicle on the tax document.
If an organisation has below ten individuals in their care or who would be benefiting from the Blue Badge, they should apply for individual badges rather than an organisational badge.
Organisations applying for a blue badge will be asked to supply either: A photocopy of the vehicle registration document (V5C) for any vehicle(s) registered under the Disabled Passenger Vehicle (DPV) class or a letter on company headed paper, stating that they are ‘an organisation concerned with the care of disabled people and that you will be using the vehicle solely for the purpose of transporting disabled people.
All Organisational applications will be assessed by a Team Leader.
When the Council receives an application for a Blue Bade and the assessing officer decides, after a desk based or eligibility assessment, that the decision is to refuse the applicant, they will be written to explaining the reasons of refusal and detailing how to request a review.
If a cheque and/or a photo have been supplied with the application, arrangements will be made to return these with the refusal letter. Electronic payments will be refunded electronically.
If an applicant feels that the decision that they don’t meet the criteria is wrong, they can request a review of this decision.
The application will always be reassessed by a Team Leader who has not been involved with the application previously.
The applicant may be asked to supply more evidence to support their application or attend an eligibility assessment, if they have not done already.
A request for a review must be submitted within six months of the initial refusal, if a review request is submitted after six months the applicant will need to start a new application.
The Team Leader will communicate their review decision via letter or email to the applicant explaining the decision and reasons for refusal. The letter will contain details of the Local Government Ombudsman who the applicant can contact if they believe there has been a procedural impropriety without the requirement to make a formal complaint.
If the Team Leader decides to approve the review application, the applicant will be contacted for payment and a photograph, if not already supplied. The decision will be communicated via letter or email to the applicant.
If the final decision of the review request remains a refusal, no further application can be made for a period of six months following the decision made by the Team Leader. If after six months the applicant’s condition has changed, they can reapply.
If during the six months, after the review refusal, the applicant is assessed by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and they become eligible for a benefit which will qualify them for a Blue Badge, they can reapply on those grounds.
Brighton and Hove City Council Blue Badge holders must report any lost or stolen badges to the Council. This can be done online or over the telephone. Applicants will then be asked to complete a declaration form before a replacement is ordered.
Once the Council receive the completed declaration the lost or stolen badge will be cancelled on the national badge system (BBDS) and the inhouse system. A new badge will be ordered once the £10 has been made.
There is a charge for all replacement Blue Badges. This includes replacing a badge to change details such as an applicant’s name or photograph.
Any applicant that is declaring that their badge has been stolen must also supply a crime reference number. If the reference number is confirmed by local police, a replacement badge will be issued free of charge. Brighton and Hove City Council will only issue one free stolen replacement to any applicant, if a badge is subsequently stolen, they will be required to pay the administration fee for any further incidents.
Any badges which are found after receiving a replacement must be returned to the Council to be securely destroyed.
No refund will be issued to any badges found after replacement. Use of a cancelled badge will constitute as misuse.
The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme was introduced to provide free England-wide-off peak bus travel to eligible older and disabled people.
Concessionary Travel Bus Passes are issued under two criterias. One criteria being for older people.
Eligibility for an Older Persons Bus Pass is based on the grounds of pensionable age. Applicants can check whether they are eligible for a concessionary Travel bus pass by using the eligibility calculator on the Government website.
The age for a Concessionary Travel bus pass is based on the pensionable age of a woman.
Applicants applying for an Older Persons bus pass are required to complete an application form and supply supporting documentation.
Supporting documentation for an Older Persons Bus Pass is, a proof of address to confirm that you are a Brighton and Hove resident, a proof of identity to confirm name and age and a recent colour photograph.
All Older Persons bus passes will be valid for five years. Upon renewal, if the Council can confirm that the pass holder is still living at the same address, the pass will be automatically renewed.
If a pass has not be used within the last year of the pass being valid, it will not be automatically renewed.
The times of use for an Older Persons bus pass in Brighton and Hove are:
· Monday – Friday 9am-3.59am
· Weekends & Bank Holidays – All day
Brighton and Hove City Council follow the Department for Transport (DfT) Guidance to all Local Authorities on assessing eligibility of disabled people in England for Concessionary Bus pass.
Eligibility for some applicants is known as Automatic, this is when an applicant is in receipt on an automatic qualifying benefit. A full list of the benefits considered to be an automatic qualification for a Disabled Persons bus pass can be found in the DfT guidance.
All applicants applying under these criteria will be asked complete an application form and to provide documents such as proof of eligibility, proof of identity, proof of address and a photograph. The length of a Disabled Persons Bus Pass will be issued dependent on the expiry date that the benefit is due to end.
In the instance that an individual is not automatically eligible for a Concessionary Travel bus pass, but they do have a disability which meets the eligibility criteria specified by the DfT they can apply for a bus pass. All applicants applying for a bus pass on these grounds will need to fill in an application form and provide documents such as proof of identity, proof of address and documentation to support their application.
When is it not clear to the assessing officer that the applicant meets the criteria for a Concessionary Travel bus pass due to their physical mobility, they will be asked to attend an eligibility assessment with an expert assessor who can give the Brighton and Hove City Council a recommendation whether the applicant meets the criteria.
Disabled persons bus passes issued after an assessment has been carried out will be issued for up to five years. The duration of the bus pass is dependent on the supporting documentation provided or assessment carried out, it can be less than five years.
Within Brighton and Hove a Disabled person’s bus pass issued by Brighton and Hove can be used 24 hours of the day.
Brighton and Hove City Council will issue taxi vouchers to individuals who are aged 5 or over and unable to use public transport
Taxi Voucher applicants will be required to complete an application form and supply a proof of address, proof of identity, recent photograph and proof of eligibility.
To be eligible for taxi vouchers you must be unable to use public transport and meet one of the criteria:
If none of the above apply, the applicant must provide supporting evidence from a medical professional confirming they are unable to use public transport.
It is not possible to issue Taxi Vouchers to an applicant who holds a bus pass. The valid bus pass this must be returned before the taxi vouchers can be issued.
A full years’ allocation of taxi vouchers will be issued for applications received up to end of September. Half a years’ allocation will be issued for applications received 1st October or after. Application received during February or March may be issued with a years’ allocation starting from the following April to allow time for the taxi vouchers to be printed.
The issuing period for taxi vouchers is from 1 April to the 31 of March. If the resident’s condition improves and they are able to use public transport, the team will issue a bus pass providing the resident surrenders any unused taxi vouchers. If the residents’ condition changes and they are unable to use public transport the following issuing period, the resident can surrender their bus pass and be issued taxi vouchers, but an option to change back to a bus pass again during the same issuing period will not be granted .
To use taxi vouchers the journey must be pre booked. A full list of the companies currently accepting taxi vouchers will be sent to the applicant with the taxi vouchers, it can be found on the Brighton and Hove City Council website.
These vouchers can be used to pay for all or part of the fare, all taxi vouchers are issued in whole pounds, no change can be given by the driver.
Evidence and photographs
All applicants must complete an application form and supply supporting documentation for their application to be assessed. This includes, a proof of address, proof of identity, a recent colour photograph and proof of eligibility or supporting documentation.
If consent is given in the application form, the Concessionary Travel team can check inhouse systems to verify an applicant’s address or identity. If this is not given or we cannot confirm identity or address, applicants will be asked to supply one of the following documents:
Proof of address – (must be dated in the past 12 months unless otherwise stated and have the applicant’s name printed on it)
Proof of Identity – must show applicant’s current name
When applying for a Bus Pass under automatic criteria or for Taxi Vouchers, applicants must supply the full benefit award letter showing they receive the specific benefits as defined in the department for transport guidance. These letters must be dates within the past 12 months as benefits can be reassessed and changed at any time. If an applicant supplies a letter which is dated later than 12 months, they will be asked to contact the Department for Work and Pensions to obtain a new letter.
When applying for a Disabled Persons Bus Pass with Personal Independence Payment (PIP) the Council must see the full award letter showing the points and the serial numbers at the bottom of each page. This is to ensure that the benefit is still current.
When applying for a bus pass on the one of the categories of disabilities applicants should provide any supporting documents to help their application. This can be medical letters or reports from specialists that outlines their condition or diagnosis.
To make the process easier for an applicant, if consent is given in the application form, the Concessionary Team can check theCouncils Adult Social Care records. These records may already hold information that can be used to determine eligibility. This can speed up the process of the application.
Applicants are asked to not supply original documents. Brighton and Hove City Council cannot be responsible for any original documentation and cannot guarantee that it will be returned.
All applicants will be required to submit a recent passport style colour photograph with their application, whether it is for a new bus pass or a renewal. These photographs can be taken in a photobooth and sent in by post, taken on a smartphone or camera and emailed directly or uploaded with online applications. It is important that there is a photograph that shows a true likeness of the pass holder to reduce any fraudulent travel.
Face to face eligibility assessments are carried out are to determine the effect of a disability or condition that has an effect on an applicant’s walking and range of movement. The distances in the assessment are all premeasured and calculated. In some cases, home based assessments are available, these are only available to those who are unable to get to travel to the assessment.
The assessment will be carried out by an, an Expert Assessor and will be qualified as defined by the DfT. They will send their results of the assessment to the Concessionary Travel team who will then use the recommendations to make the final decision whether to issue a Concessionary Travel Bus Pass.
Appointments are booked in advance. Appointments can be rescheduled if an applicant has contacted us and can no longer make their original appointment.
If an applicant does not attend their arrange appointment 3 times in a row and we have not been told that they want to cancel their appointment, we may charge the applicant the cost of the appointment.
When the Council receives an application for a Disabled Persons Bus Pass and the relevant officer decides after assessment that the decision is to refuse the applicant, they will be written to explaining the reasons to refuse.
If an applicant feels that the decision that they don’t meet the criteria is incorrect, they can request a review of this decision. The application will be reassessed by a team leader or manager who has not been involved with the application previously. They may be asked to supply more evidence to support their application or an eligibility assessment, if they have not done already.
A request for a review must be submitted within six months of the initial refusal, if a review request is submitted after six months the applicant will need to start a new application.
If the final decision of the review request remains to be a refusal, no further application can be made for a period of six months following the decision made by the senior officer. If after six months the applicant’s condition has changed, they can reapply.
If during the six months, after the review refusal, the applicant is assessed by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and they become eligible for a benefit which will qualify them for a Disabled Persons Bus Pass, they can reapply on those grounds.
Brighton and Hove City Council Bus Pass holders must report any lost or stolen passes to the Council. Applicants will then be asked to complete a declaration form before a replacement is ordered.
Once BHCC receive the completed declaration the lost or stolen pass a new pass will be ordered, this will automatically cancel the previous pass so that it cannot be used.
There is a charge for all lost bus passes or passes that require a change of details.
Brighton and Hove City Council will replace any damaged cards for free. The damaged card must be returned to the council so it can be securely destroyed.
Any applicant that is declaring that their bus pass has been stolen must also supply the crime reference number. If the crime reference number is confirmed by local police, we will issue a replacement bus pass free of charge. Brighton and Hove City Council will only issue one free stolen replacement to any applicant, if a pass is subsequently stolen, they will be required to pay the administration fee.
Any bus passes which are found after ordering or receiving a replacement must be returned to the council to be securely destroyed. This pass will be cancelled and therefore invalid. No refund will be issued to for passes found after replacing and it must be returned to the Concessionary Travel team so that it can be securely destroyed.
Acceptable address verification documents for permits
The
document must be dated within 3 months unless otherwise
stated.
Accepted documents include;
Accepted vehicle documents include:
Accepted documents to verify address for permits issued to business or professionals