Blue Badge Parking in Lewisham: Applying, Concessions and Accessible Bays

Lewisham Council issues Blue Badges to residents of Lewisham town centre, Ladywell, Lee, Hither Green, Brockley and Blackheath, and publishes its own concessions alongside the national scheme on GOV.UK. This guide sets out the steps and the places to park.

Apply or renew

Start with the council's Blue Badge page. Its apply or renew page says there are no paper applications, and that you can use a phone or tablet camera to upload your photo, proof of identity, proof of address and evidence of entitlement. The council tells you to reapply rather than expect a renewal, aims to email a reminder about 12 weeks before expiry, and cannot take applications where more than three months remain. If your PIP decision is pending, the council says you can apply using a "subject to further assessment" criterion, which may mean a face-to-face assessment. The £10 fee for successful applications and replacements is paid by card; there are no cash, cheque or phone payments. Lost or stolen badges are reported through a council form, and a crime reference number is needed for a stolen one.

The eligibility page lists who qualifies without further assessment (for example eight points or more on the PIP moving around activity, or being registered blind) and who qualifies after assessment, including some children under three who need bulky medical equipment. GOV.UK's apply or renew page says a badge costs up to £10 in England, usually lasts up to three years and is usually decided within 12 weeks.

The council's parking rules for badge holders

The council's where you can park page says holders can use council public car parks, disabled bays, time-limited bays and shared-use bays where pay to park is permitted, pay-to-park bays for unlimited time without charge, and single or double yellow lines for up to three hours where there is no loading restriction. They cannot park on loading-restricted yellow lines, school keep clear or zig-zag markings, in suspended bays, bus stops, clearways, bus lanes, or in resident or business bays without the right permit. GOV.UK's rights and responsibilities guidance says you cannot park on yellow lines in off-street car parks and that car park owners decide whether badge holders park free.

A free disabled resident parking permit, valid 12 months, lets holders of a Lewisham-issued badge use resident, dual and triple use bays across the borough for one vehicle registered at their address. The wider charges and zones are in the parking guide.

Accessible parking in and around the town centre

• Lewisham Shopping Centre car park: the centre says there are 28 Blue Badge bays on the upper levels near the Central Square lifts, and concessionary rates for disabled people, with a phone number given on its page. The town centre guide has the hours and tariff.
• Council car parks (from the car parks page): Molesworth Street (51 spaces, five disabled), Slaithwaite Road (121, six), Clarendon Rise/Albion Way (99, six), Blackheath Grove (30, five) and Perry Vale (92, four), mostly Monday to Saturday 8am to 6.30pm. The council page does not say which neighbourhood each serves, so check the map or PayByPhone code first.
• Glass Mill Leisure Centre: Better lists 54 paying spaces including five disabled, and a poolside hoist. See the leisure guide.
• Register Office: the council says there is limited parking and disabled parking on site, per its Register Office page.

Low Traffic Neighbourhoods

The council's LTN exemption page says Lewisham Blue Badge holders can apply for one vehicle to be exempt from listed road closures and modal filters, including Manor Lane junctions, Leahurst Road, Leyland Road, Upwood Road and Woodyates Road (north of the A205), plus Bishopsthorpe Road and Silverdale Road filters. You must apply on the central permit system with your badge, proof of address and V5; you are not exempt until you receive written confirmation. It lets you drive through but not park, and does not cover School Streets. Previous registrations were not carried over automatically.

Help

The council's parking permits team can be reached on 020 8787 5397 or lewishamparkingpermits@nslservices.co.uk, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. The Blue Badge section has an enquiry form for eligibility questions.