Motorists accused of abusing Blue Badge scheme

22 November 2006

Up to 50% of current disabled parking Blue Badges are being used illegally, the Local Government Association estimates.
The LGA is currently preparing a detailed analysis of the misuse of the Blue Badge system, which allows drivers to park for a limited time on yellow lines and freely enter London’s congestion charge zone, and will release details in the next few weeks.
But, going on information already gathered by local authorities, the LGA believes corruption of the system is widespread.
This follows the Government’s decision to give parking attendants, police and traffic wardens new powers to tackle abuse of the scheme.
They can now inspect Blue Badges as part of their general powers to enforcement parking regulations, and people who refuse to produce a badge for inspection without a reasonable excuse could face fines of up to £1,000 (Surveyor, 10 October).
An LGA spokesman said following crackdowns, in both Newham and Hackney, using these powers, the councils had found the badge was being illegally used in 60% of cases. He added: ‘We do not have hard and fast figures at present, but based on this evidence, it is fair to say up to 50% of badges are being used illegally.’
The figures come from a crackdown by council officers who found 16 people misusing London Borough of Newham badges, of which more than 7,000 have been issued, and a further two using badges from Redbridge and Barnet councils during September this year.
They seized two Blue Badges in the names of deceased people and another forged badge, and have carried out legal proceedings against the offenders.
A drive against the illegal use of badges in Hackney uncovered a similar amount of drivers using forged badges or ones issued to other people.
To qualify for the badge, a driver must be receiving the higher rate of the mobility component of the disability living allowance, a war pensioner’s mobility supplement, use a motor vehicle supplied by a government health department, registered blind, have severe disability in both upper limbs, drive a motor vehicle regularly but cannot turn the steering wheel by hand, even if that wheel is fitted with a turning knob, have a permanent and substantial disability.
DfT statistics show there was a 6% increase in the number of Blue Badge permits issued by local authorities in England during the 12 months up to 31 March, taking the total to 2,224,000, or some 45 per 1,000 of the population.

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