A disabled person’s badge (known as a “Blue Badge”) enables the holder to benefit from a range of parking concessions and exemptions from certain charges which apply to other motorists. The Disabled Persons (Badges for Motor Vehicles) (Scotland) Regulations 2000 (“the Principal Regulations”) make provision regarding the issue of the badges by local authorities.

These Regulations amend the Principal Regulations, by requiring that the design and manufacture of badges must comply with new technical requirements, designed to mitigate the risk of forgery, as per Schedule 3 to these Regulations.

Regulation 2(3) amends the description of persons to whom a disabled person’s badge may be issued to include those in receipt of a specified benefit under the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) Order 2011 who have been certified by the Secretary of State as having a permanent and substantial disability which causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking.

Other amendments include the imposition of a requirement to obtain an independent mobility assessment as a condition of eligibility in certain circumstances at regulation 2(3); and enabling local authorities to refuse to issue or to withdraw badges following a single conviction in relation to misuse of a badge (regulation 2(5) and (6)).