Blue Badge holders in Wales enjoy parking privileges such as free parking in disabled bays and on yellow lines, but there are 14 places where they cannot stop at any time, day or night, without risking a fine or penalty.
Where You Can Park with a Blue Badge
The Blue Badge allows holders to park for free with no time limit in on-street pay-and-display bays and at parking meters. They can also park on single or double yellow lines for up to three hours, provided they do not cause an obstruction and correctly display the badge and parking clock. On-street disabled parking bays offer free parking with no set time limit unless stated otherwise.
The Welsh government recommends using designated bays rather than parking over yellow lines whenever possible.
—
14 Places Where Parking Is Prohibited at Any Time
- Places where a ban on loading or unloading is in force, normally indicated by yellow marks on the kerb
- Parking places reserved for specific users, such as resident's bays, permit holders, or loading bays (check if local authorities exempt Blue Badge holders)
- Pedestrian zones unless Blue Badge holders are exempt (check signs)
- Pedestrian crossings (zebra, pelican, toucan, and puffin crossings), including areas marked by zig-zag lines
- Clearways (no stopping)
- A bus stop clearway during its hours of operation
- An urban clearway within its hours of operation (pick-up or drop-off allowed, but all parking is forbidden)
- School 'keep clear' markings during the hours shown on a yellow no-stopping plate
- Other 'keep clear' markings where parking is prohibited at any time, e.g., emergency vehicle access points
- Bus, tram, or cycle lanes or tracks (badge holders are not entitled to drive in bus lanes during operating hours)
- Where there are double white lines in the centre of the road (even if one line is broken)
- Suspended meter bays or when use of the meter is not allowed
- Where temporary parking restrictions are in force, e.g., no-waiting cones
- Across dropped kerbs, whether or not indicated by 'H' bar markings
Top Tips for Parking with Your Blue Badge
- If you are not getting out of the vehicle, do not use your Blue Badge to get a parking space.
- If you are a passenger, someone else can use your badge to drop you off or pick you up.
- If you are a passenger and the driver remains in the car, remove the badge and park in a non-disabled space.
- Check for time restrictions on nearby signs or with local authorities and use a parking clock.
- You can park on single or double yellow lines unless loading restrictions are in place.
- Never park where it would endanger, inconvenience, or obstruct pedestrians or other road users—doing so could result in a fine or vehicle removal.
