A new advancement in the way disabled people can park could help make parking in Bath for those with legitimate disabilities a much easier feat – as fake and counterfeit blue badges are to be made harder to create.
From the 1st January, disabled people across England and Scotland will be able to apply for new badges, which will have added security features and a more secure way of determining the eligibility of the badge holder.
Of the 2.5 million blue badges currently in circulation around the UK, the scheme which allows drivers to park on double yellow lines and avoid parking and congestion charges has estimated fraud associated with it of £46 million a year as people sell on badges and clone them.
In an interview with the BBC, Transport Minister Norman Baker said: “Motorists who pretend to be disabled to get some free parking are frankly disgraceful.
“They prevent real blue badge holders from using parking bays designed for those genuinely in need and they cheat the vast majority of road users who play fair when they park their cars.“
At the moment, the blue parking badges are made from card and are hand written by the local councils. From the 1st January the holders can apply for a digitally printed badge which will help prevent copying of the details.
Bath and North East Somerset Council allow for disabled badge holders to park in the same controlled parking zones as resident and business permit holders, in designated disabled spaces around the city centre and to park in the Sport’s Centre and Charlotte Street car parks designated spaces for free. All other car parks currently require a disabled driver to pay the full parking charges.
