Free Traffic Legal Advice
Live cases legal advice => Civil penalty charge notices (Councils, TFL and so on) => Topic started by: kittykat234 on August 28, 2026, 03:10:25 pm
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Where you can park with a Blue Badge
This badge can only be used by the named badge holder, or by a person who has dropped off or is collecting the Badge holder from the place where the vehicle is parked. It is a criminal offence for anyone else to use this Badge in any other circumstances.
With a Blue Badge you can park free of charge and without a time limit on street in Edinburgh
in pay and display and shared use on-street parking bays
on single or double yellow lines when loading is allowed
in greenways parking places when parking is allowed
in disabled parking bays.
You should not park
in bus lanes during the hours of operation
in cycle lanes
on single or double red lines during the hours of operation
on zig-zag pedestrian crossings at school entrances
in bus stops
in parking spaces for residents, motorcycles and city car club users
in suspended parking bays
any place where traffic or emergency vehicles might be held up
at dropped kerbs
in public parking places on main traffic routes when loading is prohibited.
From https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/parking-permits/request-blue-badge-1
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Unfortunately blue badges are often not valid in permit-only bays and one should always check before setting off.
In Edinburgh those with a BB can park in pay-only bays but also in what are called shared use bays, where both paying and permit holders can park. Plus disabled bays, yellow lines (with clock) and greenways, whatever they are.
Discretion is often given to BB holders so this is well worth a polite ask.
https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/parking-permits/request-blue-badge-1
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According to the Scottish Government, you can use your blue badge to park for free in:
- pay and display bays
- disabled parking spaces
- parking meter spaces
- on single or double yellow lines if both:
- there are no loading restrictions
- it’s safe to do so
No mention of in resident permit bays, so presumably not permitted.
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My elderly parents received a PCN from Edinburgh council this morning for being parked in a residents' permit holders bay without a permit. They were displaying my mother's blue disabled badge.
PCN link (https://drive.google.com/file/d/13NxFfYBIq3RKDtM4lfx-sa_qIom---wN/view?usp=sharing)
The PCN doesn't mention they had a blue badge but I heard the traffic warden speaking to someone on the radio about it. She told me that if they'd parked on the double yellow lines across the road they would have been fine. Is it worth appealing? They don't live in Edinburgh and thought the blue badge meant they were ok to park.
thank you.