The Isle of Wight council is cracking down on misuse of blue badges.
Following training in the summer, the council’s parking service team has begun introducing enforcement action to address the misuse of disability blue badges for parking.
The first enforcement case has since been resolved and resulted in a formal caution and warning.
One-to-one on-street training
The parking team worked with a senior criminal investigator and civil enforcement officers from Portsmouth City council who provided one-to-one on-street training.
The training event was specifically designed to improve their knowledge and understanding of disabled badges and to tackle offenders who misuse them.
A greater awareness of disabled badge abuse
An Isle of Wight council spokesperson said this has resulted in a greater awareness of disabled badge abuse, which the authority is actively tackling.
Working with the Counter Fraud Team, the parking service has also created and introduced new procedures and processes.
Risk a £1,000 fine
Under the terms of a blue badge, it is a criminal offence if the holder or anyone else misuses the badge.
Doing so could lead to a £1,000 fine and confiscation of the badge.
Only the person the badge is issued to can use it and it cannot be given to anyone else.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
Image: jakub pabis under CC BY 2.0
