LGA - Blue Badge fraud prosecutions double
19 May 2014 10:29 AM
Blue badge fraud prosecutions
have doubled in three years as councils crackdown on dishonest motorists
robbing disabled people of their independence and their right to easier
parking.
Professionals including lawyers
and estate agents have all been hauled before the courts by councils in the
past 12 months. Unscrupulous fraudsters have even been caught using a dead
relative's pass or having left a disabled parent stuck at home in order to
park for free to go shopping or travel to work.
More than two million disabled
people use Blue Badges for free parking in pay and display bays and parking for
up to three hours of yellow lines through the nationwide scheme. In London,
badge holders are exempt from the congestion charge.
The Local Government
Association, which represents more than 370 councils in England and Wales, said
the number of people caught abusing the scheme is on the rise with 686
successful council prosecutions in 2013 – up from 330 in
2010.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council,
Plymouth Council and Hull City Council recently secured their first
prosecutions against fraudsters while Manchester City Council has a 100 per
cent conviction rate with more than 500 prosecutions in the past five
years.
Councils are also using new
powers to seize and confiscate badges suspected of being used illegally and
some have set up specific enforcement teams to tackle Blue Badge
fraud.
Cllr Peter Box, Chair of the
LGA's Economy and Transport Board, said: "Blue badge fraud is a crime
that robs disabled people of their independence and ability to get out and
about in their own cars and park more easily to visit shops or family and
friends. It is shocking how low some people are stooping in order to con a few
hours of free parking including using a dead relative's blue badge or
leaving a disabled parent trapped in their home.
"Councils are determined to
do everything in their power to protect the quality of life for our disabled
and vulnerable residents and will not hesitate to take legal action against
anyone caught abusing the scheme. With more of these fraudsters being brought
to justice than ever before by councils, this is sending a strong message that
we will come down hard on drivers illegally using blue badges.
"The fight against Blue
Badge fraud is being stepped up by councils and we would also urge outraged
residents to keep tipping us off about people abusing the system as this
remains an essential way for us to catch these criminals in the
act."
CASE
STUDIES
- Wandsworth Council has
prosecuted an estate agent, lawyer and architect for Blue Badge fraud in the
past year. Around 500 dishonest drivers have been brought before the courts by
the council where they have been convicted of more than 2,000 separate
offences
- Stoke-on-Trent City Council has
secured its first prosecution for Blue Badge fraud after a woman used her
disabled mother's parking badge so she could park for free near her place
of work.
- Derbyshire County Council
checked the use of 700 Blue Badges in a four-month crackdown on fraudsters
between November 2013 and February 2014. The campaign led to 26 people charged
with offences.
- Over the past five years,
Manchester City Council has successfully carried out more than 500 prosecutions
of people who have abused the Blue Badge scheme with a 100 per cent conviction
rate.
- Hull City Council has launched a
zero-tolerance approach to Blue Badge fraudsters. Its first prosecution of a
driver misusing a disabled parking badge was successful in October last
year.
- A Waltham Forest Council
crackdown has seen 209 badges seized, eight arrests, 29 vehicles clamped or
removed and 51 prosecutions. Cases include fake, stolen and Blue Badges
registered to a deceased resident being used illegally.
- Leeds City Council previously
sent warning letters to people found abusing the Blue Badge scheme. Between
November 2010 and May 2013, 700 letters were sent. Since September 2013, 73
people have been found guilty of abusing the scheme following a shift to
swifter prosecution.
- Plymouth City Council brought
its first prosecution for Blue Badge fraud last year. A woman was fined for
using her dead father's Blue Badge to park for free in a court car park
before giving evidence in a trial. The badge was also seized.
- Councils across Sussex caught
more than 140 people illegally using Blue Badges in 2013. Investigators found
dishonest drivers tampered with information on badges, made copies of them,
used badges that were expired or stolen, badges that belonged to friends or
relatives and even used badges that belonged to the deceased in three
cases.
NOTES TO
EDITORS
- The National Fraud Authority estimates
20 per cent of all blue badges in circulation are abused at an annual
cost of £46 million to councils:
- A Blue Badge can only be used in
a vehicle when it is being driven by or being used to transport the Blue Badge
holder. Misuse of a Blue Badge is a criminal offence under the Road Traffic Act
1984. The maximum fine on conviction is £1,000.
- The latest Blue Badge
prosecution figures from the Department for Transport can be found here.