At Euan’s Guide, we know that accessible parking isn’t just a convenience - it’s the key to independence, spontaneity, and getting out to enjoy the places and activities we love.
Whether you’re heading out to meet friends for a coffee, visiting a local museum, or simply picking up groceries, knowing there is a reliable, accessible space waiting for you can make or break a day out.
That’s why new research published by MoneySuperMarket as part of their Misused Parking Campaign really struck a chord with our team.
What the research tells us
MoneySuperMarket surveyed 2,000 UK motorists, including 1,000 Blue Badge holders, and submitted Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to local councils across the UK to create a Priority Parking Index.
The findings confirm what so many in our community experience every single day when it comes to accessible parking.
A major barrier to independence: 87.4% of Blue Badge holders told researchers that parking is a major hurdle to living independently.
Facilities missing the mark: 76.7% feel current parking setups aren't designed to meet their needs.
Staying at home: worryingly, 67.8% have avoided visiting certain places altogether due to parking concerns.
Confrontation worries: 70.2% said they would feel uncomfortable confronting someone misusing a priority space.
Wasted time: on average, Blue Badge holders spend 29 minutes every month – that’s around six hours a year - just searching for an accessible bay.
The UK’s biggest parking bottlenecks
The MoneySuperMarket survey and FOI data highlighted severe shortages of council-maintained disabled bays across several UK cities, creating intense competition for spaces.
Birmingham ranked at the very bottom of the index. With 58,805 registered Blue Badge holders and just 82 council-maintained bays, there are a staggering 717 badge holders for every single bay. Birmingham also logged 5,688 fines for bay misuse.
Bristol came in second-worst, with 23,730 badge holders competing for only 99 dedicated council bays - a ratio of 240 drivers per space - alongside 3,413 misuse fines issued over 12 months.
Leicester and Durham also faced critical bay shortages. Leicester balances 19,950 badge holders across 356 bays – that’s 56 drivers per space - while Durham has 35,697 badge holders sharing 320 physical bays, 112 drivers per space.
The top UK cities for accessible parking
Portsmouth topped the ranking with 2,290 disabled bays serving 8,397 registered Blue Badge holders, meaning just four badge holders are competing for each bay there - the lowest ratio in the ranking. While the council issued 2,004 penalty charge notices (PCNs) for disabled-bay misuse in the past 12 months, equivalent to 0.9 PCNs per bay, its high level of accessible parking helps make it the UK's best-performing location for Blue Badge holders.
Fife took second place in the research, with 4,197 disabled bays, equating to just seven badge holders competing for each bay, and Fife Council recorded a relatively low level of misuse - they issued 1,690 PCNs in the past year for disabled-bay parking offences, equivalent to just 0.4 PCNs per bay.
Richmond upon Thames and Haringey came in joint third place. Richmond upon Thames has 499 disabled bays serving 6,450 registered Blue Badge holders, equating to 13 badge holders per space. The London borough also recorded just 402 PCNs for disabled-bay misuse, or 0.8 penalties per bay, suggesting accessible parking is comparatively well respected.
Meanwhile, Haringey has 2,085 disabled bays for 11,744 registered badge holders, equating to around six people per bay. However, it also recorded 4,094 PCNs for disabled-bay misuse, almost two penalties for every disabled bay, suggesting misuse is slightly more prevalent compared to the other locations.
Why sharing your experience matters
At Euan’s Guide, our mission is to make it easier for disabled people, their families, and friends to find accessible places to go. Parking is often the very first step of that journey!
When you write a review on EuansGuide.com, sharing details about accessible parking, whether a venue has dedicated bays, dropped kerbs, level access from the car park, or clear signage, helps someone else plan their trip with confidence and peace of mind.
Over to you
Have you faced challenges finding accessible parking in your local area? Or have you found places that get it right? We’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences!
Leave a review: help other people plan trips with confidence by reviewing accessible parking at your favourite venues on EuansGuide.com.
List your venue: make sure disabled visitors know what to expect from your accessible parking by sharing your disabled access information with us.
Join the conversation: share your parking tips and experiences with us on social media @EuansGuide
