Campaign cracks down on blue badge misuse

From the end of this month, local authorities will have the power to confiscate badges and cancel lost or stolen badges.

And thoughtless drivers caught misusing a badge will also face penalty fines of up to £1,000 under the crackdown.

The blue badge scheme is an essential service for disabled people, allowing access to parking bays which are normally closer to work, shops and other community services.

Research conducted by Transport Scotland in 2012 showed that 76 per cent of blue badge holders would go out less often if they were without their badge — and many also felt they wouldn’t be able to go out at all.

The Holyrood campaign will also raise awareness of the regulations surrounding the blue badge scheme for other road users, reminding them that its use is for the blue badge holder as a driver or passenger of the vehicle only — and any other practice means committing an offence.

Transport minister Derek Mackay said: “Blue badge misuse is socially unacceptable.

“It prevents legitimate badge holders from across Scotland accessing the on-street parking concessions to which they are entitled.”

For more information on disabled parking access and badges, and the rules and regulations around their use, please visit www.bluebadgescotland.org.