By James Rodger
Copyright birminghammail
The Labour Party government has removed thousands of Blue Badges in a crackdown. The Cabinet Office has removed 22,000 Blue Badges which were being used fraudulently on UK roads Cabinet Office Minister Josh Simons has spoken out alongside the measures. “I was shocked when I learned there is an illegal black market of Blue Badges, which makes a mockery of that system,” the Cabinet Office Minister told The Sun. Mr Simons added: “Half a billion pounds back in the system. That’s nurses on hospital wards, teachers in classrooms and police officers on the beat.” READ MORE UK national speed limit could be slashed in ‘half’ with all drivers warned “Taxpayers expect their money to be spent funding these services, not lining the pockets of fraudsters,” the minister declared. He went on, adding: “We will always be tough on fraud.” It comes days after an on street enforcement exercise by Oxfordshire County Council’s counter fraud team led to two people appearing at Oxford Magistrates’ Court last week. On Friday 19 September, Azeem Ansari, 44, of Kennington Road, Oxford, and Lauren Bell, 38, of Poplar Close, Garsington, admitted illegally using blue badges to park in Oxford city centre. Councillor Dan Levy, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Transformation, said: “The blue badge system is there for people who rely on it to help them remain mobile and independent. Those who abuse it deny vital parking spaces to people who really need them the most. “Valid blue badges enable people to access goods and services and park near workplaces, supermarkets and health facilities. That is why we, as a council, will continue to take enforcement action to stop those misusing this service.” Blue badge misuse is a criminal offence and can result in a fine of up to £1,000 and a criminal record. A penalty charge notice will normally be issued to anyone misusing a disabled parking bay. As well as removing blue badges from people who are misusing and abusing the scheme, enforcement is used to raise awareness of the importance of the badges for residents who really need them.
