Simon Kirby’s ‘Disabled Person’s Parking Badges Act’ comes into force

Simon Kirby MP’s Disabled Person’s Parking Badges Act has come into force today. Simon is MP for Kemptown & Peacehaven

The Act received Royal Assent and passed into law in January 2013, however it required a number of regulatory changes to be made and Statutory Instruments to be laid before coming into force today, October 8 2013.

From today the Disabled Person’s Parking Badges Act will:

•  Provide local authorities with a power to cancel badges that have become lost or stolen or which are no longer in the holder’s possession;

•  Extend local authority inspection powers to officers in plain clothes;

•  Enable local authorities to recover badges that have been cancelled, have expired, are being misused by a third party or are fake;

•  Remove ambiguity from the existing Blue Badge misuse offences so that it is clear that it is an offence to use a badge that should have been returned to the issuing authority;

•  Remove the requirement for the Government to publish the full badge specification in regulations;

•  Extend eligibility for a badge to Armed Forces personnel and their families resident overseas on UK bases who meet the qualifying criteria for a badge; and

•  Remove the route of appeal to the Secretary of State in cases where a badge is withdrawn for misuse so that the Local Government Ombudsman will instead review complaints against local authorities.

Simon said:

“The Disabled Person’s Parking Badges Act 2013 will make significant improvements to the Blue Badge scheme, making it much better for disabled people who rely on the availability of disabled parking spaces.

“It is rare that a Private Member’s Bill makes it onto the statute book. This Bill has succeeded because it has received widespread support from all parties, as well as backing from local authorities and disabled person’s charities across the country. I am very grateful for this support, which has ensured the Bill’s efficient progression through Parliament.

“I know that many disabled residents in my constituency rely on the availability of disabled parking spaces for their independence. This Act will ensure that those spaces are not abused, and I am very pleased that the legislation has come into force today.”