Bedfordshire man convicted of improper use of disabled badge
It's part of an initiative by the county's councils to crack down on misuse
A man from Bedfordshire has been convicted for using a disabled person's badge despite not being disabled himself.
David Maggs from Clapham was convicted at Luton Magistrates' Court on Tuesday (January 9th) for improper use of the Blue Badge in May of 2023.
Maggs was seen by officers carrying out checks on cars in Ashton Square Car Park in Dunstable using his wife's disabled badge to park in a space especially designated for people with a disability.
After being apprehended by officers and asked why he was using the badge, he claimed that he was using the card to go shopping on behalf of his wife, which warranted the use.
David was eventually fined £220 for the improper use of the badge, as well as paying a surcharge of £80 and ordered to contribute payments of £434.
In addition to the numerous fines Maggs was ordered to pay, the man now has a criminal record on file with police.
The move comes as part of a county-wide collaboration between Bedfordshire Councils to crack down on the improper use of disability badges.
Executive Member for Finance at Central Bedfordshire Council, Councillor John Baker explained that the Council was listening and responding to the issue of parking fraud, which is a key priority for residents.
"There will be further clamp downs on Blue Badge fraud," he said. "The rules are clear: the Blue Badge is intended solely for the use and advantage of the assigned holder. It should only be displayed if they are present in the vehicle as a driver or passenger, or if someone is picking them up or dropping them off and requires parking at that location.
"If we find people using these badges inappropriately, we will take action. Misuse of a Blue Badge could result in legal consequences, potentially leading to a criminal conviction and a fine of up to £1,000, alongside badge confiscation. It also unfairly deprives genuine users of parking spaces they genuinely require."