Blue badges, issued to individuals with disabilities to assist them in finding parking spaces that make getting around easier, are the centre of a sharp rise in fraud prosecutions. In three years, the government has doubled the number of prosecutions of individuals using the cards of friends or relatives not present in the car in order to take advantage of more accessible parking.
In 2010, some 330 individuals were prosecuted for the abuse of the Blue Badge, with cases ranging from the cards of disabled friends or relatives being used while those individuals stayed at home to the slightly more sinister use of Blue Badges belonging to deceased relatives. This has risen to over 680 last year. The misuse of Blue Badges is putting pressure on disabled parking facilities, driving council costs up and defeating the purpose of the badges by making it harder for those with genuine need to find parking spaces.
There is also a risk of councils building an excess of disabled parking spaces, in order to meet the inflated needs of their areas. Perhaps for this reason amongst others, the Local Government Association has vowed to take the issue to the top of the agenda, warning that councils will “do everything in their power” to ensure that incidents of Blue Badge fraud are prosecuted and ultimately prevented.
Individuals who have in the past used Blue Badges without a disabled person present should take note – Manchester City Council has a 100% success rate in their prosecutions, with other councils seriously increasing their investment in securing similar levels of success.
Furthermore, London councils will be considering the issue with the added dimension that within the city, Blue Badge holders are exempt from paying the Congestion Charge, designed to bring down emission levels by disincentivising people from using their cars to get around the centre. The policy, introduced under the previous Mayor, has seen a sharp drop in inner city traffic and councils will be keep to avoid the Blue Badge being used as a way to avoid paying it.
British councils are already seen as some of the most officious out there when it comes to parking charges, so residents who continue to abuse the Blue Badge scheme will have their work cut out avoiding prosecution.