Additional information about the experimental Blue Badge parking bays
These experimental Blue Badge parking bays are needed as Blue Badge holders may park on single or double yellow lines for up to 3 hours without causing an obstruction (except where there are restrictions on loading or unloading – indicated by yellow kerb dashes and/or signs). This is generally how Blue Badge holders park in York city centre.
Blue Badge bays can allow parking for more than 3 hours, enabling people who have a blue badge to park for longer than 3 hours without having to worry about having to return to their vehicle. In the case of the experimental bays on Blake Street, Lendal and Davygate, they will be implemented without any time limit to start with. This can be reviewed if the monitoring and feedback from users shows that this is not working.
Implementing limits on the duration of parking in the bays
The initial consultation conducted with disabled people and representatives on this subject showed that opinions differed on implementing limits on the duration of parking in the bays. The feedback received in favour of unlimited time was generally linked to people wanting to be able to spend longer in the city without having to worry about having to move their car (for example, going for a meal and then to the cinema or attending a public meeting or event at the Guildhall). Some people felt that up to a day would be good. Others were worried that the spaces may be used all day by 1 or 2 vehicles, reducing availability for other Blue Badge holders, and thought that restricting parking duration to 4 or 5 hours would work better. Others thought that parking duration should be limited during the day but unlimited in the evening.
The bays will be reserved for loading every morning between 6.00am and 10.30am so Blue Badge holders will not be able to remain parked in the bays for several days in a row.
The advantage of an experimental order is that consultation and monitoring can take place when the bays are in place. If the monitoring and the feedback provided by users show parking duration needs to be limited, we will be able to change this.
Reduced parking capacity
As the bays will be 6.6 metres long, they will slightly reduce parking capacity as cars generally only require approximately 6 metres to park parallel to the kerb. The bays will however be easier to use for wheelchair access vehicles and provide longer parking duration.
Experimental order documents
Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) documentation consists of the following documents: