Crackdown on blue badge abuse
A mum who used her son’s blue badge so she could park for free and go shopping has been fined by magistrates after a clampdown on misuse.
Lubna Tahir was legitimately issued a blue badge for her son and was permitted to use it when she was travelling with him.
However, the 46-year-old was spotted parking in a disabled bay and displaying a blue badge on the dashboard before getting out of her car without her son.
She told officers who challenge her she had taken her son to school just minutes before parking in Buckingham Gardens Car Park and had the intention of going shopping on the High Street.
She was interviewed under caution and denied any wrongdoing so the case was prosecuted and dealt with at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Friday 25 October.
Lubna Tahir, of Randolph Road, Langley, admitted one offence of wrongfully using a disabled person’s badge in order to park in a disabled parking bay when the badge holder was not present, contrary to section 117 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. She was fined £125, ordered to pay prosecution costs of £100 and a victim surcharge of £32.
The defendant was approached by officers from Slough Borough Council’s corporate fraud team and civil enforcement officers as part of a programme to combat the misuse of disability blue badges in the borough, on 10 July.
Motorists displaying blue badges whilst parking in otherwise prohibited areas were challenged. More than half were using their badges correctly.
In cases where they were being abused, the blue badge was seized and the motorist was asked to attend an interview under caution. Seven admitted the offence and were given a formal caution by way of sanction which will be held on official records for four years.
In total, 46 people were approached and 25 were using the badge correctly.
Eleven badges were seized, two of which were being used by the genuine recipient but had expired more than four months previously.
Ten motorists were issued a warning where it was felt the motorist had made a genuine mistake.
A total of 14 penalty charge notices were issued.
One motorist was spoken to by Thames Valley Police about his behaviour towards the council’s officers when challenged.
Cllr Pavitar K. Mann, cabinet member for planning and regulation, said: “Blue badges are issued for use by some of the most vulnerable members of the community so families can go about their daily business with a little bit of extra help.
“Blue badges are not handed out so family members can park nearer the shops or without paying for a parking ticket like the rest of the people of Slough have to.
“Disabled parking bays usually have extra space surrounding the vehicle to give people, maybe those who use a mobility aid, the extra space to get in and out of their car more easily. To park in one when no one in the car needs the space is not only inconsiderate, but illegal.
“The teams intend to conduct further blue badge audits in the future to ensure that the benefits of holding a disability blue badge are not being abused by people who don’t qualify.”
Lubna Tahir was legitimately issued a blue badge for her son and was permitted to use it when she was travelling with him.
However, the 46-year-old was spotted parking in a disabled bay and displaying a blue badge on the dashboard before getting out of her car without her son.
She told officers who challenge her she had taken her son to school just minutes before parking in Buckingham Gardens Car Park and had the intention of going shopping on the High Street.
She was interviewed under caution and denied any wrongdoing so the case was prosecuted and dealt with at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Friday 25 October.
Lubna Tahir, of Randolph Road, Langley, admitted one offence of wrongfully using a disabled person’s badge in order to park in a disabled parking bay when the badge holder was not present, contrary to section 117 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. She was fined £125, ordered to pay prosecution costs of £100 and a victim surcharge of £32.
The defendant was approached by officers from Slough Borough Council’s corporate fraud team and civil enforcement officers as part of a programme to combat the misuse of disability blue badges in the borough, on 10 July.
Motorists displaying blue badges whilst parking in otherwise prohibited areas were challenged. More than half were using their badges correctly.
In cases where they were being abused, the blue badge was seized and the motorist was asked to attend an interview under caution. Seven admitted the offence and were given a formal caution by way of sanction which will be held on official records for four years.
In total, 46 people were approached and 25 were using the badge correctly.
Eleven badges were seized, two of which were being used by the genuine recipient but had expired more than four months previously.
Ten motorists were issued a warning where it was felt the motorist had made a genuine mistake.
A total of 14 penalty charge notices were issued.
One motorist was spoken to by Thames Valley Police about his behaviour towards the council’s officers when challenged.
Cllr Pavitar K. Mann, cabinet member for planning and regulation, said: “Blue badges are issued for use by some of the most vulnerable members of the community so families can go about their daily business with a little bit of extra help.
“Blue badges are not handed out so family members can park nearer the shops or without paying for a parking ticket like the rest of the people of Slough have to.
“Disabled parking bays usually have extra space surrounding the vehicle to give people, maybe those who use a mobility aid, the extra space to get in and out of their car more easily. To park in one when no one in the car needs the space is not only inconsiderate, but illegal.
“The teams intend to conduct further blue badge audits in the future to ensure that the benefits of holding a disability blue badge are not being abused by people who don’t qualify.”
