Accessible Parking

Cardiff wants to make driving and parking more inclusive for everyone — especially people with mobility needs or disabilities. Accessible parking helps you reach shops, attractions, transport links, and essential services more easily and comfortably.

Blue Badge Parking — Your Rights

The Blue Badge Scheme gives people with significant mobility difficulties the right to special parking concessions across Cardiff and the rest of the UK. This includes:

• Parking in designated disabled bays and many council car parks

• Parking on on‑street pay and display spaces without paying a charge (check local signs)

• Parking on single or double yellow lines for up to three hours where it is safe and permitted
  You must display your Blue Badge clearly in your vehicle and use a parking clock to show your arrival time where time limits apply. Always check local signs and restrictions before you park. Misusing a Blue Badge — for example, lending it to someone when the badge holder isn’t present — is illegal and can result in fines up to £1,000 and enforcement action.

If you don’t yet have a badge and think you may qualify, you can apply through Cardiff Council for free — badges in Wales are usually valid for up to three years and show your eligibility clearly on the dashboard.

Where You Can Park

Accessible Parking Bays:
Council‑run car parks and selected city on‑street spaces have marked Blue Badge parking bays, clearly signed and reserved for badge holders. You can use many of these bays free of charge when your badge is displayed properly.

Council Car Parks:
Many city centre and public car parks (including multi‑storey and open‑air locations) include accessible parking spaces close to lifts or pedestrian exits for easier access to shops, services, and attractions.

At Venues & Attractions:
Large venues like Principality Stadium reserve blue badge spaces for events, usually on a first‑come, first‑served basis or via advance booking linked to your event ticket. These spaces are limited and affected by city centre road closures during big events, so planning ahead is important.

Smaller attractions (such as Dyffryn Gardens) often have blue badge parking on site with step‑free access to paths and visitor areas.

Parking Tips for Accessible Travel

• Display your Blue Badge properly and, where required, set the parking clock to show your arrival time — this helps avoid unnecessary penalties.

• Check local signage before you park — rules and time limits can vary between streets, car parks, and zones.

• Plan for city centre events — accessible parking availability can be limited when road closures or special road management is in place.

• If you’re visiting attractions with limited space (like Cardiff City Stadium or Principality Stadium), contact them in advance about accessible parking options on match or event days.

Staying Safe & Legal

Cardiff Council enforces the correct use of accessible parking spaces to protect access for genuine users. This includes inspections and fines for misuse of Blue Badges — so it’s important to know your rights and responsibilities before parking.