New figures show that drivers used disabled bays without a valid Blue Badge more than 5,000 times on the Isle of Wight over the past six years.
When drivers use these spaces without a Blue Badge, it reduces availability for those who genuinely need them.
Through a response to an FOI request, the Isle of Wight Council confirmed a total of 5,428 fines between 2019 and 2024.
Year-on-year increases
The number of fines varied each year.
The number of fines issued over the six-year period reached a whopping £160,085.33.
| Year | No. Offences | Fines |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 873 | £24,865.04 |
| 2020 | 500 | £15,168.54 |
| 2021 | 670 | £21,043.94 |
| 2022 | 913 | £28,074.62 |
| 2023 | 1068 | £32,093.29 |
| 2024 | 1404 | £38,839.90 |
Where drivers parked without a Blue Badge
The FOI response also listed the locations with the highest number of offences.
The High Street in Newport recorded 752 fines, Lugley Car Park in Newport recorded 444, and Regent Street in Shanklin recorded 170 over the six year period.
| Car Park | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Street, Newport | 47 | 26 | 120 | 152 | 166 | 224 | 735 |
| Lugley Car Park, Newport | 36 | 25 | 43 | 87 | 119 | 134 | 444 |
| Regent Street, Shanklin | 38 | 46 | 66 | 150 | |||
| Town Lane, Newport | 55 | 44 | 49 | 148 | |||
| Quay Road Car Park, Ryde | 35 | 67 | 102 | ||||
| Pyle Street, Newport | 35 | 47 | 82 | ||||
| Union Street, Ryde | 27 | 46 | 73 | ||||
| Moa Place Car Park, Freshwater | 51 | 51 | |||||
| Pier Street, Ventnor | 45 | 45 | |||||
| Pier Square Car Park, Yarmouth | 35 | 35 | |||||
| John Street, Ryde | 29 | 29 |
Local authorities across the UK shared the data as part of a national study into Blue Badge misuse by Evans Halshaw.
Call to protect accessible spaces
Julie Wallman, Evans Halshaw Divisional Marketing Director, commented.
“Disabled parking bays exist to ensure safe and accessible travel for people with limited mobility, whether they’re heading to a supermarket, medical appointment, or just going about their day.
“When drivers use these spaces without a Blue Badge, it reduces availability for those who genuinely need them.
“These figures show just how common this issue is across the Isle of Wight and the rest of the UK, and highlight the importance of keeping accessible spaces available, particularly as more people rely on mobility solutions to support independent living.”
