My Blue Badge Parking app uses a database of parking locations by kind permission of Dan Gibson at “BlueBadgeParking.com”. After the initial launch of app, if you don’t have cellular connection it uses the last version saved. When launched, app looks for nearest spaces to your location based on the Search Radius selected in ‘Settings’ (default 3 miles / 4.5kms). There are 5 tabs :- Map, List, Notify, Help and Settings the map being the most useful to see where the pins are and the List tab places them in order with the nearest to where you are at the top.
The Map tab shows all the possible locations it found within the set search radius, should you be looking for a space in another Town or City enter this in the Search box at the top (you can also entre postcodes, Latitude / Longitude or What3Words) then press return key. The search pin is dropped and locations in that area are shown within your set radius.
The Notify tab has a useful feature, with a shake of the iPhone you have 3 options to Add, Mark or save a Favourite. The ‘mark’ button drops a pin where you are standing with the date and time, the idea being is you can use it to find your way back to your vehicle and if there is a time limit acts as a reminder. If you return to the Map tab you will see the pin (which has a picture of a car).
In the recent update to my app I have added a new feature that uses the ‘what 3 words’ system to exchange precise locations between friends and map or SatNav apps. This feature can be used to both input a location or retrieve the 3 words from a location. So if for example somebody gives you three words in this format ‘fence.gross.bats’ (this is Buckingham Palace) you paste it into the search box at the top of Map tab and it drops a pin at that location and displays any Blue Badge locations nearby. If you have found a location and want share it, touch the pin in Map tab then select information button on the flag (small i in a circle to the right). A menu appears, so scroll down and click “What3Words to Clipboard”. Note when using VoiceOver the little blue information button is not accessible but if you shake your device that same menu appears.
I have also improved the VoiceOver capabilities to help navigate the app more easily.
Please note this app is now free.
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/blue-badge-parking/id1109027666