Orange Badge Validity (per Blue Badge)

nicobobinus

Hi folks,
I've a question about my orange disabled parking badge, issued in Italy and currently valid.
Should a London council authority recognise it as per a blue badge?
There is lots of information available about the regulations as applied to blue badge holders, but I've not found any authoritative guidance on whether I can use a European orange badge in place of a blue one.
The orange badges were the original scheme, lately they issue blue ones.
It doesn't feature a time clock, just a photo and particulars, with an official seal stamped over.
It is valid in Italy and I understand there are reciprocal permissions between EU states. I would have thought the colour doesn't matter, but the term "blue badge" is specifically invoked.
Thanks in advance
Nicobobinus

knightstyle

In 1978, the ECMT Council of Ministers agreed that all Member Countries of the ECMT would grant the same parking concessions to people with disabilities as they offered their own nationals. These concessions usually allowed special parking in areas reserved for people with disabilities, or allowed longer parking periods or exemptions from charges.

This Resolution was updated and extended in scope in 1997. In addition to all the Member countries of ECMT this Resolution now applies also to the ECMT Associated Countries (Australia, Canada, Japan, Korea, New Zealand and United States). This means that disabled motorists from all ECMT Member and Associate countries are now entitled to the same parking concessions as nationals in all ECMT Countries. The only condition is the display of a badge showing the international wheelchair symbol.

In 1998 the EU adopted a Resolution along the same lines for the Member countries of the EU. The badges to be displayed are to be standardized to facilitate recognition and to avoid difficulties at local level.
EU Blue Parking Badge.

So Italy should be using a blue badge like the rest of europe.

Plus be aware that in central London different rules apply, you cannot use a blue badge to park on yellow lines for example.

fisherjim

Hear you go:

http://www.disabledmotorists.eu/en/world_map/europe/europe.htm

http://www.disabledmotorists.eu/en/world_map/europe/united_kingdom.htm

http://www.disabledmotorists.eu/download/parking_cards/notice_united_kingdom.pdf