Driving and parking

Hampshire County Council’s Road Safety Team offers the Driver Skills Scheme 60+. at a small cost. This is an independent, confidential driving appraisal that helps older drivers to prolong their fitness to drive. The appraisal is not a test but offers help and advice. You get a comprehensive written report together with helpful tips about driving techniques. The appraisal is done using your own car and takes approximately 90 minutes.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Older Drivers Forum is a not-for-profit organisation made up of experts in road safety from across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight – from representatives from the emergency services to charities, local authorities and businesses specialising in keeping older people on the road. The Forum is about keeping mature motorists on the road safely for longer. They can provide practical and informative help and support to enable older people to continue driving.

Disabled drivers can get practical advice about driving, an assessment of their capabilities, and advice about car adaptations and/or choice of car from Driving Mobility. They offer professional, high-quality information, advice and assessment to individuals who are recovering from an accident or injury, or who have a medical condition which may affect their ability to drive or access a motor vehicle.


Vehicle tax exemption

If you receive:

• the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance,or
• enhanced rate of the mobility component of PIP or 
• Armed Forces Independence Payment or
• War Pensioner’s Mobility Supplement 

you can apply for exemption from paying vehicle tax. The vehicle must be registered in the disabled person’s name or their nominated driver’s name. It must only be used for the disabled person’s personal needs. It cannot be used by the nominated driver for their own personal use.

Motability scheme

It is also possible to get help to buy or lease a car that has been specially adapted for your use through the Motability Scheme.  If you do not qualify for this scheme you can make your own arrangements to have a car adapted by contacting a local car dealer who does Motability work.

Electric cars and accessibility

The government's ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars will come into effect from 2030, with the sale of hybrids being outlawed from 2035. These guides provide more information about the accessibility of electric cars for disabled drivers:

• Electric cars: Information and Drivers Guide from Motability
  
  
• Electric cars and accessibility: What drivers with disabilities need to know (Auto Trader)

Blue parking badges allow parking concessions for cars carrying people who have a permanent disability. They are also issued to those who are applying for a Blue Badge on behalf of a child under the age of three who, because of specific medical conditions, needs to travel with bulky medical equipment, needs to return to the vehicle for treatment or to reach a doctor or hospital quickly or is in a plaster cast due to hip dysplasia.

The Blue Badge scheme is run by the Department for Transport, but badges are issued by local authorities. The badge belongs to the disabled person who qualifies for it (who may or may not be a car driver) and can be used in any vehicle they are travelling in. Parents of a disabled child over two and under 16 can apply for a badge on their child's behalf.

Find out more:

• Hampshire County Council's Blue Badge scheme.
• Portsmouth City Council's Blue Badge scheme.
• Southampton City Council's Blue Badge scheme.

• Information for Blue Badge schemes from bordering councils.