Guidelines for Disabled Permits
PARKING PERMITS FOR DISABLED PERSONS
Guidelines for Parking
1. Definition of “Disabled”
The City of Hamilton uses the definition of “disabled” in the U.K.’s Disability Discrimination Act 1995, as follows: “A disabled person is a person who has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long term effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities”. The Act makes it clear that it distinguishes disability from short-term illness or injury, and also makes it clear that it is the extent of the impairment, not the extent of the handicap, that is the deciding factor.
2. Who Is Eligible?
All applicants for a disabled parking permit must, in the first instance, have their physician complete the City provided medical form on which the physician will be asked to attest to the nature and duration of the disability. The City is primarily seeking to assist those with severely debilitating disabilities (e.g. in wheelchairs, unable to walk alone, the sight impaired, mentally challenged persons who require a caregiver, etc.). The City reserves the right to make a final decision about eligibility.
3. Disabled Parking Bays - General
There are a number of designated disabled parking bays on the City streets and in the car parking lots. They are identified by the international symbol for the disabled (blue wheelchair). These are for use solely by disabled persons who have a disabled persons parking permit from the City of Hamilton. Vehicles parked in a disabled parking bay that do not display a disabled parking permit may be ticketed. A street parking voucher for street parking, and a pay-and-display sticker or parking voucher for parking in car parks must also be displayed with the disabled parking permit.
4. Parking on the Street
Disabled permit holders are entitled to park in any designated disabled parking bay, or anywhere else that it is legal to park on the street. By displaying the disabled parking permit, together with the one-hour street parking voucher, the disabled person may park for two hours. Persons who are confined to wheelchairs and who drive to, and work in, the City, thereby requiring all day parking on the street, may make special application to the City for a designated parking bay on the street as near to their place of business as possible. Each such application will be considered on its own merits.
5. Parking in City Car Parks
Disabled permit holders are entitled to park in any designated disabled parking bay or in any other bay in a City car park and must display the disabled parking permit, together with the pay-and- display sticker. The City extends the courtesy of using scratch-off parking vouchers in the city car parks to Disabled Parking Permit holders. Permit holders are allowed to park for 2 hours for each hour paid for but MUST obey time restrictions in those City lots that have them. Disabled persons who park every day to attend work may, as an alternative to the pay-and-display stickers, purchase a monthly parking permit at the. There are two disabled parking bays on the northwest corner of the City Hall building, reserved for multi-passenger vans used to transport the disabled. Such vans must display a disabled parking permit, and a pay-and-display sticker, and may remain in those bays for a maximum of three hours. Please note that only one visit per day is permitted in all time-restricted parking lots.
6. Specially Designated Parking Areas
Please remember that the disabled are NOT entitled to park in a loading zone Monday through Friday, nor in a taxi stand or any other specially designated parking bay. Lower Reid Street, between Burnaby Hill and Queen Street is designated as all loading zone between 8 and 10 a.m. Monday through Friday; however, there are two disabled parking bays half way along the street that any disabled permit holder may use at any time.
7. Use of Disabled Parking Permit
A disabled parking permit is issued to the disabled person, not to his/her spouse, relative, friend or caregiver. Some disabled persons can drive themselves; others have to be driven by friends or relatives. In the latter case, the disabled parking permit may only be used when the disabled person is actually being transported. It is an offence for anyone to use a disabled parking permit, other than the person to whom it has been issued. Abuse of the privilege may result in the permit being cancelled.
8. Procedures to Apply for a Disabled Parking Permit
New disabled parking permits are issued annually. The year is printed on the permit and each year the permit is a different colour. Applicants have until the end of January each year to obtain their new permits. Traffic Wardens can issue parking tickets if an outdated disabled parking permit is displayed after January 31st.
First-time applicants must complete an application form, and must also have their primary medical or psychiatric caregiver complete a medical certificate (both forms obtainable from the City of Hamilton offices at City Hall). The application form must be completed annually when applying for a new permit. A new medical certificate will be required every five years for those with permanent disabilities.
Persons who are categorized by their physician as having a temporary disability that severely limits mobility may apply for a temporary disabled parking permit. The permit that is issued will have an expiry date on it that coincides with the length of time that the physician indicates it is needed. This applies to local residents and to visitors.
Use of Disabled Parking Permit Outside City of Hamilton
9. Use of Disabled Parking Permit Outside City of Hamilton
The City understands that the disabled parking permits issued by the City of Hamilton may be accepted outside the City in areas such as the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, and at the Bermuda International Airport. We have also been advised that some permit holders have successfully used their Bermuda permits when they traveled abroad. However, the City cannot guarantee that the permit will be honoured outside the City.
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