The blue badge scheme helps you park closer to your destination if you’re disabled
Barking and Dagenham parking officers have been carrying out investigations into parking offences where suspected fake blue badges were being used.
They carried out an inspection of Tomlins Orchard and the surrounding areas in Barking after they received multiple complaints.
The officers found a vehicle parked on nearby Shaftesbury Road in a permit bay.
The badge was checked through a system and found to have been stolen from someone in Hackney.
Officers impounded the car.
The driver must hand over the blue badge, pay to release the vehicle and also pay all their outstanding parking fines.
They also face a potential prosecution for illegal use of the badge which could result in a criminal record and another potential fine of up to £1,000.
Enforcement officers also investigated another blue badge incident which was brought to their attention in Abbey Road, Barking.
An investigation discovered it was counterfeit.
The car was impounded, and the owner must pay for its release. They also face a possible criminal conviction.
Another instance of illegal parking in the borough saw a car from Hardwicke Street being impounded due to it having 45 unpaid parking fines.
Councillor Dominic Twomey said: “Blue badges help people with disabilities or health conditions to park closer to their destination – it’s despicable that people would be prepared to use stolen or fake Blue Badges to try and get around parking restrictions. They deserve to be named and shamed as well as ending up with a criminal record.
“We absolutely won’t tolerate this in Barking and Dagenham, and I would like to thank our Parking Investigation Officers for responding promptly to complaints from our residents and catching these individuals in the act.”
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Tags: Barking and Dagenham Council, parking, Blue Badge
