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Older drivers are most at risk of being slapped with £1,000 fines under a Blue Badge crackdown in councils across the country. Experts have warned that local councils across the UK have stepped up their enforcement efforts to catch out drivers breaking the rules.
Mobility specialists have stressed that disabled drivers who have had their badge for years are still getting caught out by “hidden parking rules”. Seacroft Mobility explains that in some cases, many road users don’t even know about rules they are later issued penalties for. Data from the Department for Transport shows there are now 2.84 million Blue Badges held in England with all of these at risk of breaking the strict parking rules.
However, older drivers make up around two-thirds of Blue Badge holders in the UK, with health issues and mobility issues more likely to affect those in later life.
Daniel Swain, a mobility expert from Seacroft Mobility said: “It’s a really common problem. Most people think their Blue Badge is a licence to park anywhere for free, but that’s just not the case.
“Different councils, and even different car parks, have their own rules. A simple mistake could cost you hundreds in fines or, in the worst cases, result in your badge being taken away.”
According to the experts, holding a Blue Badge doesn’t always guarantee free parking in private car parks such as supermarkets or hospitals.
Road users have been told they must always read the signs displayed in car parks, as individuals might still have to pay or at least register their vehicle.
Meanwhile, experts have reminded road users that a Blue Badge can only be used if the person to whom the pass was first issued to is present.
It is against the rules to lend the badge to a family member or a friend with road users fined up to £1,000 if they are caught out. Enfield Council is just one local authority in the middle of a six-month Blue Badge crackdown across the borough.
The Council confirmed a new partnership with Blue Badge Fraud Investigations (BBFI) and NSL Services to target any fraudulent use of the badges across the area.
Earlier this year, Medway Council also confirmed a crackdown with Counter Fraud officers actively seeking out individuals misusing badges that belonged to friends.
