New £55 million scheme aims to stamp out blue badge abuse

By Sunil Peck

The government is to pump £55 million into a strategy aimed at stamping out abuse of the blue badge parking scheme in England.

The scheme was created in 1971, but disabled motorists have found it increasingly difficult to find designated parking bays because many are occupied by people using blue badges fraudulently.

Unveiling the government's strategy at Wandsworth Town Hall in south London, transport minister Paul Clark (pictured) said he hoped to give accredited parking enforcement officers the power to confiscate badges that are being used fraudulently.

Up to £10 million will be used to set up a national database that will allow local councils to share data on legitimate blue badge-owners. He said this would allow council staff to identify the fraudulent use of blue badges issued outside their area.

And he said the government was examining ways to use technology to make it harder to forge blue badges. These include barcodes that can be read through windscreens.

Mr Clark said: "Two thirds of councils tell us abuse of the scheme is a major issue - and that around one in every 200 badges in circulation is reported as stolen each year.

"And with forged or stolen badges reportedly being sold on the black market for up to £1,500 a time, it is time to get tough and stop blue badge abuse and vehicle crime."

He said the government was working with the British Retail Consortium to clamp down on the abuse of parking bays in off-street areas, such as those outside shopping centres and supermarkets.

The government also plans to mount a publicity campaign designed to hammer home the message that blue badge fraud is socially unacceptable.

Up to £45 million will be used over the next three years to make the application process for a blue badge fairer, by establishing independent medical assessments in each local authority.

Nine local authorities who have already reduced blue badge fraud will be tasked with sharing advice on administering and enforcing the scheme in England.

The government also intends to extend the blue badge scheme to severely disabled Armed Forces personnel and veterans, people with temporary but severe mobility problems lasting at least a year, some disabled children under three, and those whose conditions mean they cannot travel alone on public transport or cross roads safely.

Helen Smith, director of policy and campaigns at the disabled motorists’ charity Mobilise, said: "I'm really pleased that the government is undertaking some reform because something had to be done.

“Let's hope that it works and that councils do crack down and we see disabled people benefitting from the scheme in the way that they should."