Blue Badge misdeeds at record high in Bromley
By Joe Coughlan, Local Democracy Reporter
Bromley council has prosecuted a record number of motorists for Blue Badge offences in the first two months of this year.
The authority announced on Tuesday that 24 people in the borough had been fined as a result of abusing the scheme.
Fines issued to the offenders reportedly totalled ÂŁ16,234, with one person being ordered to pay ÂŁ1,347 in fines and court costs.
The authority said 13 of the cases included Blue Badges being displayed which had been cancelled.
This consisted of five stolen badges, six in which the original badge holders had passed away and two badges which had been previously cancelled for being lost.
The 11 other cases regarded motorists who had failed to provide information relating to the identification of a driver.
Seven of these cases included stolen badges being displayed, while three cases involved badges in which the original holder had passed away and one badge was displayed after it had been cancelled for being reported as lost.
The council claimed the legal action was the result of the authority’s continuing campaign to protect the scheme for genuinely disabled individuals.
It added that the badges allowed the offending drivers to take advantage of parking concessions they were not entitled to.
A Bromley council spokesman said: “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. Blue Badge misuse has a direct impact on the lives of genuine Blue Badge holders.”
They added: “The scheme helps Blue Badge holders park close to their destination, so when spaces set aside for them are misused, this has a real impact, with the badge holder having to abandon their trip for instance.”
The past year has reportedly seen 80 prosecutions take place for similar offences related to blue badge misuse offences in Bromley.
The council said Blue Badges must be returned to the issuing authority if the badge expires, is damaged or if the holder is no longer eligible or passes away.
Pictured top: Bromley Civic Centre, where Bromley council’s headquarters are based (Picture: Google Street View)
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