Council parking services do a ‘poor job’ when it comes to the provision of online information for drivers with disabilities, ICT body warns.
The latest report from Socitm’s Better Connected programme found fewer than half of the 210 district council websites tested made it easy to find information on how and where to apply for a disabled person's parking badge.
While district councils do not issue blue badges, the report says it is ‘odd’ these authorities refer to the need to have a badge without providing more information on how residents can acquire one.
Districts do manage applications for blue badge holders for on street ‘disabled’ parking bays to be designated outside their property.
However, Socitm said there was a ‘striking difference’ between councils that provide almost no information and those that provide a clear set of criteria, detail the application process, and provide an online form so that people may self-serve.
According to the ICT body’s findings, just 23% of sites provide an online application form and only 15% a form that is both responsive and interactive, and therefore fully accessible to people with disabilities.
The report concluded that the overall results were ‘disappointing’ with only 31% of sites providing a good or very good service.
