Blue badge cheats exposed in Worcester city centre crackdown

A CRACKDOWN on blue badge abuse has occurred in Worcester city centre - with drivers informed to remain the right side of the law.

Worcester City Council has recently concluded a week-long operation to tackle dodgy road users wrongly using the disabled badges.

The effort, which was finished on Sunday, saw six motorists caught out disobeying the law after parking wardens inspected 8 major city centre streets.

The wardens, who went to St Swithin’s Street, Queen Street, Trinity Street, The Cross, The Trinity, The Cornmarket, New Street and Charles Street, state there are now 10,000 blue badges in use over Worcestershire by itself.

Yesterday your Worcester News revealed how a fleeing motorist rammed straight into the front of Bushwhackers nightclub on Sunday as he tried to escape a warden performing a spot check for disabled badges.

A male, aged 19, was imprisoned on suspicion of aggravated automobile taking and property damage, and was bailed until September 18.

Leaders at the council claim the crackdown was overwhelmingly supported by observers and haven't ruled out a repeat - with culprits looking at a maximum fine as high as £1,000.

Several crooks were found to be using other's badges, whilst another 2 vehicles showed ones which had gone out of date.

The badges give car owners access to the absolute best locations to park around the city centre.

Car parking manager Andy Chinn claimed: "The concentrated week-long focus on the usage of blue badges has been very successful. "We have received overwhelming support from the general public and in just one week a total of 6 badges were seized which were not being used lawfully.

"Blue Badge exploitation continues to be a top priority for the council and we continue to be committed to making certain that authentic badge users may park in the bays based in the heart of our city."

He added that the four drivers caught for other people's badges were not taking advantage of deceased individuals - but it does occur in other cases.

Brian Hunt, vice-chairman of the Worcestershire Pensioners Action Group, has a blue badge himself.

He says: "You do get blatant incorrect use of these badges - what folks forget about is that the badge isn't for a vehicle, it's for a person.

"You get people that lend their mum's car to go into the city, use it to park at one of the spaces and then go and do a bit of shopping - that's illegal.

"All the badge should include is a handicapped individual. A lot of people also use the disabled bays when they shouldn't, especially in grocery stores.

"I believe the council is on the case."

All around The UK, there are now more than 3 million blue badges in circulation.

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