Stamping out blue badge fraud

Welsh Labour’s Minister for Local Government and Communities, Carl Sargeant, has outlined how the Welsh Government is improving the lives of Blue Badge holders in Wales by tackling Blue Badge fraud.

Speaking at the Assembly Plenary debate on the UK Government’s proposed Disabled Persons’ Parking Badge Bill the Minister highlighted the need to crack down on those that use the Blue Badge fraudulently. If introduced, the new Bill will bring in new powers in England and Wales which will enable local authorities to cancel Blue Badges that were being dishonestly used.

The new Bill will also give powers to civil enforcement officers, such as traffic wardens, to inspect and remove Blue badges that have been used fraudulently or cancelled.

In a recent survey carried out on behalf of the Welsh Government one in ten people in Wales admitted to parking illegally in Blue Badge spaces reserved for disabled motorists. The survey also revealed that a third of respondents said enforcement action should be taken against those that misuse a Blue Badge. An official UK Government report has also pointed to widespread abuse of the system either through forgery of badges or use of real badges by those not entitled to use them.

In April 2012 a new-look Blue Badge that incorporated high tech security features which made it harder to copy, forge and alter as a result of an improved design was introduced in Wales. There are around 230,000 Blue Badges in use in Wales.