Blue badge theft is clearly a soaring crime, says the Local Government Association (LGA). More than two million disabled people use Blue Badges for parking in pay and display bays and for up to three hours on yellow lines. In London, badge holders are exempt from the congestion charge saving them around £2,500 a year.
The LGA, representing 370 councils across England and Wales, pointed to thefts of Blue Badges rising from 2,921 in 2017 to 4,246 in 2018 – a rise of 45 per cent. It’s a rise in thefts for a fifth year as 656 were recorded in 2013.
Fraudsters have increasingly been prosecuted by councils in the past year for using stolen or lost badges and using relatives’ badges to scam free parking to go shopping or travel to work.
Martin Tett, LGA Transport spokesman, said: “Illegally using a Blue Badge is not a victimless crime. For disabled people, Blue Badges are a vital lifeline that helps them get out and about to visit shops or family and friends. Callous thieves and unscrupulous fraudsters using them illegally are robbing disabled people of this independence.
“Despite limited resources, councils continue to work hard to crackdown on this growing crime. More Blue Badge fraudsters than ever are being brought to justice by councils who will come down hard on drivers illegally using them. It is important to catch these criminals in the act. To help councils win the fight against Blue Badge fraud, residents must keep tipping us off about people they suspect are illegally using a badge, bearing in mind people’s need for a badge might not be obvious.”
