The Disabled Persons (Badges for Motor Vehicles) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2012

Regulation 11(3)(b)

SCHEDULE 3

“PART IIIA SPECIFICATIONS FOR BADGES

(WITH A DATE OF ISSUE ON OR AFTER 1 APRIL 2012)

1.    All Badges

The specifications applicable to all badges are as follows—

(a) the badge must be 106 millimetres in height, 148 millimetres in width (with 5mm radius rounded corners) and 720 microns in thickness, with height and width tolerances of plus or minus 1 millimetre and a thickness tolerance of plus or minus 20 microns;

(b) the badge must be printed on white polyvinyl chloride core sheets and all print must be fused with clear plastic outer layers;

(c) the badge must be printed with a unique serial number, comprising a series of numbers and letters that identify key information about the badge and the holder, including the consecutive number of each replacement badge issued to the badge holder by the issuing authority;

(d) the background on the front and reverse sides of the badge must be lithographically security printed to include fine line guilloche, numismatics, variable width text workings and other fine line structures which are consistent with paragraph (l);

(e) a security printed, tamper evident background must be printed in the boxes which identify the expiry date and number of the badge and the name of the holder;

(f) micro text features which are only visible under magnification must be printed on the front and reverse sides of the badge;

(g) embossed tactile and Braille features (which incorporate visual, line structure patterns) must be included on the front side of the badge, without any corresponding indentation on the reverse side of the badge;

(h) the wheelchair user symbol that appears on the front side of the badge must be a security hologram enclosed within a square with sides each measuring 30 millimetres, incorporating an image flip, micro-text, nano-text, a separate nano-feature and the design of the wheelchair logo against a background of the words “blue badge”;

(i) the rear side of the badge must contain a variable bar code which identifies the expiry date of the badge;

(j) the coloured block which appears on the front side of all badges issued during any calendar year must be a consistent year identifier colour which differs substantially from the colours used in prior calendar years;

(k) the badge must be constructed so that it is heat resistant and stable to a temperature of at least 120 degrees Celsius(and a local authority must satisfy itself that badges it proposes to issue are compliant with this requirement (before issuing any such badges) by obtaining a report verifying such compliance (by reference to a sample badge) from an appropriate body); and

(l) the badge must include such additional security features as will further mitigate the risk of forgery by, so far as practicable, preventing the badge from being copied readily and allowing genuine badges to be distinguished from forgeries.

For the purposes of paragraph (k) an “appropriate body” means a body accredited to Standard ISO 9001:2008 (Quality anagement Systems) (prepared by the International Organisation for Standard-ization)(1)) and which, in the opinion of the local authority, has the necessary expertise to provide the report.

2.    Individual’s Badges

The additional specifications applicable to an individual’s badge are as follows—

(a) subject to paragraphs (b) and (c), the rear side of an individual’s badge must contain a close up digital photograph of the head and shoulders of the badge holder. The photograph must have a strong definition between face and background and must be—

(i) in colour;

(ii) 45 millimetres in height and 35 millimetres in width (passport size);

(iii) taken—

(aa) within a month prior to the date of the application;

(bb) against a light grey or cream background;

(iv) undamaged;

(v) free from “red eye”, shadows, reflection or glare from spectacles;

(vi) of the full head of the holder (without any other person visible or any covering, unless it is worn for religious beliefs or medical reasons)—

(aa) facing forward;

(bb) with nothing covering the face;

(cc) looking straight at the camera;

(dd) with a neutral expression and mouth closed; and

(ee) with eyes open and clearly visible (without sunglasses or tinted spectacles and without hair or spectacle frames obscuring the eyes);

(vii) in sharp focus and clear;

(viii) printed professionally or in digital format; and

(ix) a true likeness, without amendment.

(b) paragraph (a) does not apply to a badge issued pursuant to an application made by a disabled person if the issuing authority is satisfied that the estimated life expectancy of that person is less than six months from the date of the application, in which case the space that would otherwise include a photograph must contain a copy of the flag that appears on the front of the badge.

(c) paragraphs (a)(vi)(cc) and (a)(vi)(dd)do not apply to photographs of children aged five years and under.

(d) the variable bar code on the rear side of the badge must identify the year of birth and (in code) the gender of the holder.

(e) the serial number printed on the badge must identify the month and year of birth and (in code) the gender of the holder.

3.    Organisational badges

The additional specifications applicable to an organisational badge are as follows—

• The reverse side of an organisational badge must contain a colour copy of the logo (if any) of the organisation, which must be 5 millimetres in height and 35 millimetres in width. If the organisation does not have a logo, the space that would otherwise include the logo must contain a copy of the flag that appears on the front of the badge.”

(1)

The British Standards Institution publication of the Standard has the ISBN 9780580687389.