The Parking Places (Disabled Persons’ Vehicles) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025
Background
The Parking Places (Disabled Persons’ Vehicles) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011 (the principal Order) makes provision for the designation of parking places for disabled persons’ vehicles and for the issue of disabled persons’ badges to eligible persons.
The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) has reviewed the principal Order and has identified a number of areas where amendments are required. These amendments are necessary to:
- Ensure that the Order is in line with current best practice and international standards;
- Improve accessibility for disabled persons; and
- Reduce the potential for abuse of the disabled persons’ parking scheme.
Key Changes
The key changes that are being made to the principal Order are as follows:
- The definition of “disabled person” is being amended to include people with hidden disabilities. This will ensure that people with conditions such as autism, dementia and mental health conditions are eligible for a disabled persons’ badge.
- The criteria for eligibility for a disabled persons’ badge are being revised. The new criteria will be based on the impact of a person’s disability on their ability to walk. This will ensure that people who are most in need of a disabled persons’ badge are eligible to receive one.
- The design of disabled persons’ parking bays is being revised. The new design will include wider bays, accessible kerbs and improved signage. This will make it easier for disabled persons to park and get in and out of their vehicles.
- The enforcement of the disabled persons’ parking scheme is being strengthened. The new Order will give DfI traffic enforcement officers the power to issue fixed penalty notices to drivers who park in disabled persons’ parking bays without a valid disabled persons’ badge.
Consultation
DfI consulted on the proposed amendments to the principal Order in 2023. The consultation received a total of 105 responses. The majority of respondents were supportive of the proposed amendments.
Implementation
The Parking Places (Disabled Persons’ Vehicles) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025 will come into force on 24 January 2025.
Further Information
Further information on the Parking Places (Disabled Persons’ Vehicles) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025 is available on the DfI website.
The Parking Places (Disabled Persons’ Vehicles) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025
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