Get the Blue Badge map on your mobile
If you've previously used the on the Directgov website before leaving the house, in order to prepare for your journey in advance by finding everything from parking bays and accessible public toilets to petrol stations with service call facilities, then here's some good news. Like so much else on the web, the service is . Which makes far more sense if you're out and about.
To see it for yourself, you'll need an internet-enabled handset. Text the word BLUE to 83377 for the price of a SMS. You'll receive two messages back from Directgov, both of which are free. One will be a confirmation that your text was received, and the other will have a link to the Blue Badge map service, together with brief instructions on how to use it. The information covers major routes and over 100 towns and cities across the UK.
Oh, and even though we know that all Ouch readers are far too sensible to use their mobile phones while driving, please do make sure that you stop in a safe place and switch off your engine first before turning your attention to that little glowing screen.
Comment number 1.
At 18th Jun 2009, wheelie100 wrote:Unfortunately, the Directgov site shows as 'available' blue badge parking bays, bays which are actually not available for the generality of blue badge users at all. Two examples - bays reserved EXCLUSIVELY for named individuals in inner London Boroughs; bays for disabled users in Camden which are ONLY available for Camden residents. For the rest of us, parking on either of these types of bays will earn you a penalty notice. Be warned!
I've written twice to Directgov over the last four months to point this out, but have been able to get nothing more than an acknowledgment. I hope they'll eventually take it up - the map is potentially so useful, and getting more so with mobile and Satnav applications, that it really is worth getting it accurate.
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