Parking with a Blue Badge
You can use the badge throughout the UK, the European Union and some other European countries.
You can use the badge when you are driving or are a passenger in a car. Other people, such as your friends or relatives, can not use the badge unless you are travelling with them.
You can not use the Blue Badge for:
- Off street car parks
- Private roads
- Most airports
- Access to some pedestrian zones, where signs indicate.
It is important to check parking signs before leaving your vehicle and follow traffic rules while driving.
Any vehicle breaching a parking or driving rule or parked without a valid permit may receive a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) and possibly be towed.
If you are issued a PCN, you can find more information on: Penalty Charge Notices and Blue Badge holders.
Where you can park with a Blue Badge in Newham
If you clearly display a valid Blue Badge on the dashboard or facia panel of your vehicle, you can park for free, for as long as you need in a:
- Permit holder bay (resident, business, visitor permits)
- Paid for parking (on street pay by phone only parking bays)
- Shared use parking bay (permit holders and paid for parking)
- Free short stay parking bay
- Blue Badge only bays
As long as you display the clock showing the time you arrived and a valid Blue Badge in your vehicle, you can also park:
- On single or double yellow lines for up to three hours when there are no loading restrictions
Find information on:
Blue Badge parking on a Red Route on Transport for London's website
When you need to display a parking clock
Where you can NOT park with a Blue Badge in Newham
You cannot park with a Blue Badge at any time:
- In a Newham Resident Disabled Bay. In these bays only a Newham disabled residents permit is valid
- On a single or double yellow lines when there are loading restrictions
- In a suspended parking bay
- In a doctor parking bay
- In a car club parking bay
- In a bus parking bay
- In a loading bay
- In an electric vehicle bay
- In a motorcycle bay
- In a police vehicle bay
- When there are school 'keep clear' restrictions in place
- On a bus stop or taxi rank clearways where a yellow 'no stopping' sign is displayed
- On a red route unless signs allow you to park
Disabled Resident parking bays in RPZs
In a Residential Parking Zone (RPZ) a Blue Badge is not valid when parked in a Newham Disabled Resident Bay. In these bays, only a vehicle with a valid Newham Disabled Resident parking permit for the zone in which the bay is located can park.
If you do not have a Disabled Resident parking permit for a RPZ where you wish to park, you can park in a standard resident permit holder bay, but you must ensure that your Blue Badge is clearly displayed on the dashboard or facia panel of your vehicle.
Low traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs)
In Newham, Blue Badge holders are NOT exempt from Low Traffic Neighbourhood restrictions.
West Ham Park LTN exemption
If you are a Blue Badge holder and you live in West Ham Park LTN, you or the person who cares for you may be eligible to apply for an exemption called an Access Permit.
Find more information about how to apply for an LTN Access Permit.
Healthy School Streets (HSS)
In Newham, Blue Badge holders are NOT automatically exempt from HSS restrictions.
To apply for an access permit, Blue Badge holders must have a reasonable need to drive into the HSS zone during operational hours, for example:
- you have a child that attends the school
- you are a staff member at the school
Find more information about how to apply for an HSS Access Permit.
Council car parks in Newham
You can park for free in most Newham Council car parks when you display a Blue Badge and park in a disabled parking bay.
Please note: You will have to pay for parking even when using a disabled parking bay at Stratford Multi-Storey car park.
