In the first two months of this year, Bromley Council has taken decisive legal action against a record number of motorists for abusing the blue badge scheme. The council announced on April 23 that 24 individuals in the borough faced fines for exploiting the scheme, amounting to a total of £16,234.
Among the offenders, one person was ordered to pay £1,347 in fines and court costs, highlighting the severity of the consequences for those found guilty of misusing blue badges.
According to the council, 13 of the cases involved the display of blue badges that had been cancelled. This included instances of stolen badges, badges belonging to deceased holders, and badges previously cancelled due to loss.
Additionally, 11 cases pertained to motorists failing to provide accurate information regarding the identification of a driver. Seven of these cases involved the display of stolen badges, while three involved badges belonging to deceased individuals and one badge displayed after being reported lost.
The council emphasized that such legal action was part of its ongoing efforts to safeguard the blue badge scheme for genuinely disabled individuals. Misuse of blue badges not only undermines the integrity of the scheme but also deprives deserving individuals of parking concessions they rely on for accessibility.
A spokesperson for Bromley Council stated, “We are actively enforcing the blue badge scheme every day, and those tempted to misuse a blue badge should be in no doubt that they will face prosecution.” They further explained the real-life impact of badge misuse, noting that genuine badge holders often face significant challenges when parking spaces reserved for them are improperly occupied.
Over the past year, Bromley Council has reported a total of 80 prosecutions for similar offences related to blue badge misuse, reflecting the council’s unwavering commitment to combating such abuses.
The council reiterated that blue badges must be returned to the issuing authority under various circumstances, including expiration, damage, or ineligibility due to changes in the holder’s status or unfortunate events like death.
