Driving and Parking

Some disabled motorists will be entitled to a waiver from paying Vehicle Excise Duty from the UK Government, depending on the kinds of social security benefits the individual receives.

Additionally, the Motability scheme enables disabled people to use the mobility component of Personal Independence Payment or Disability Living Allowance to lease a new car, scooter or powered wheelchair.

The blue badge scheme provides parking concessions for on-street parking, allowing badge holders to park close to where they need to go.

Transport Scotland is responsible for the legislation which sets out the framework while local authorities are responsible for administering the scheme and issuing badges to eligible applicants.

A badge can be issued either without assessment, generally where an applicant receives a particular kind of social security benefit, or following assessment by a local authority. There were 231,827 badges on issue in Scotland at the end of March 2015.

Where someone has a blue badge and a car, they can ask the local authority for a space to be marked out for the use of a blue badge holder.

Local authorities also have a duty to promote the proper use of disabled parking places and to ensure parking spaces for the use of disabled people are made legally enforceable by way of Traffic Regulation Orders, including by negotiating with landowners responsible for off-street parking places.

Local authorities are held publicly accountable for discharging these duties by a public annual report compiled by Transport Scotland and detailing their performance over the previous year.