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 otor Vehicles) (Wales) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/1786 (W.123)) (“the Principal Regulations”) make provision regarding the issue of the badges by local authorities.

These Regulations amend the Principal Regulations, primarily, by requiring that the design and manufacture of badges must comply with substantially more sophisticated technical requirements, designed to mitigate the risk of forgery.

Other significant amendments include removing the fee for a badge for new applicants and for renewals of existing badges, raising the maximum fee from £2 to £10 in the case of replacement badges and for organisational badges, and enabling local authorities to refuse to issue or to withdraw badges following a single conviction under the legislation used to prosecute fraudulent misuse of badges.

A full regulatory impact assessment of the effect that the amendments will have on the cost to business and the voluntary sector is available from the Integrated Transport Division, Cathays Park, CF10 3NQ.