City campaign aims to cut abuse of parking badges for disabled

Blue badges allow disabled drivers to park in disabled-only parking bays, but a pilot enforcement scheme by Leeds City Council found 61 per cent of badges were either being misused or openly abused.

The authority says over recent years, abuse and misuse of the system has become apparent and it is developing new ways to tackle the problem.

It warned last night that anyone found to be persistently or fraudulently abusing the system faced having the permit taken away and may even face prosecution.

Leeds City Council's executive board member for parking services, Tom Murray, said yesterday: "Parking spaces for disabled drivers are all over the city and, in my observation, are largely respected.

"However, the message from this scheme is clear – blue badges are meant to help disabled people and are not free parking passes for able-bodied drivers."

As part of a drive to ensure the badges are being used properly, council officers noted the details of badges in cars parked in the city, and checked to see if the badge was being used by someone else at the time.

A total of 68 badges were checked and 61 per cent of holders contacted confirmed that their badge was being wrongly used. Four badges were being misused on two separate occasions during the pilot scheme, and the registered holders of two badges were deceased.

Following these results the scheme has continued – finding that more than 53 per cent of badges checked are being wrongfully used, with repeated misuse of some badges in certain vehicles.

The scheme is continuing and feedback has been extremely positive from blue badge holders, pleased to hear that action is being taken against abuse of the system.

It has become clear however that many offences are related to lack of understanding of the rights and responsibilities of using a badge.

Coun Murray added last night: "Abuse of this system is unforgivable and, while there are clearly cases where people have mistakenly used them incorrectly, where we find persistent or fraudulent use of a blue badge we will take it away and may even be forced to prosecute.

"We are committed to helping improve services for disabled people and our work to tackle abuse of the blue badge system will make it fairer for all," he added.

The blue badge scheme was Introduced in the early 1970s to help improve access to services for disabled people. They allow disabled people to park in marked bays without having to pay parking charges.

It is a criminal offence for the badge to be used by anyone other than the registered holder and abusers face a fine of up to 1,000. Allowing wrongful use of a blue badge is also a serious offence and badges can be withdrawn if illegally used by other people.

Last night the authority urged anyone who had knowledge of anybody abusing the system to contact its parking services department.

Anyone who knows of a blue badge being wrongfully used – including expired or stolen badges, or continued use of a badge issued to a person who is now deceased – should contact the council.

People should note the make, model and vehicle registration number of offenders and if possible, the serial number of the badge and contact parking services on 0113 395 0050.

For more information about the blue badge scheme, please visit www.dft.gov.uk/transportforyou/access/bluebadge