Council in pledge to crack down on abuse of disabled parking badges

Earlier this year, Rotherham Council launched a crackdown after it emerged that council-issued blue badges, which entitled disabled drivers to free parking, were being used by family members and friends.

The authority said it had recently brought prosecutions against a 54-year-old Rawmarsh man and a woman aged 65 from Wath upon Dearne after they were both caught using a badge when the official holder was not present.

Neither offender appeared in court and the cases were proved in their absence. The man was fined a total of 185 for using his neighbour's blue badge in May this year, while the woman was given a bill of 80 for using her mother's badge in April 2010.

Rotherham Council's Parking Services Manager Martin Beard said: "I am delighted with this success.

"We are committed to continue our pursuit of blue badge frauds and we will prosecute whenever appropriate."

Coun Richard Russell, the authority's parking spokesman, added: "Some people think it's acceptable to use a blue badge which doesn't belong to them, but it's not. Even if they're using it to pop to the shops they're still potentially depriving someone who has genuine mobility problems of a much-needed convenience.

"We will remain relentless in our pursuit of these individuals who flout the law and continue to abuse this much-needed and valuable amenity. We are watching and they will be prosecuted."