On National Teacher Day, meet the 2024-25 Kenan Fellows
Enforcement - Glasgow city council
1. REPORT ON BLUE BADGE ENFORCEMENT
MICHAEL BRADY
ASSISTANT GROUP MANAGER
PARKING PROJECTS AND EVENTS
JUNE 2012
2. SUMMARY
This presentation will outline the challenges that Glasgow City Council
(GCC) has in terms of enforcing mis-use of Blue Badges.
It seeks to identify measures to improve the control regime to reduce
the potential for mis-use.
Identify stakeholder engagement measures, to improve control and
prevent mis-use, including the Police, Press and other agencies.
Will detail the results obtained by working together with Strathclyde
Police to tackle mis-use.
Initiatives to help reduce mis-use of Blue Badges.
3. KEY FACTS
There are presently around 25,000 Blue Badges on issue in Glasgow.
Some 33% of all Badges on issue in Scotland, are issued within the
Glasgow region
It is interesting to note that some Councils issue more discretionary
badges
Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh 8,646 Automatic 13,183 Discretionary.
Glasgow 13,933 Automatic 9,460 Discretionary
There is an upward trend in the number of Badges being issued in
Glasgow.
4. COST OF MIS-USE
The estimated level of mis-use in Glasgow is 27%
Glasgow City Centre has approximately 1100 Pay and Display
Parking Bays
Surveys have shown that, in some areas, more that 50% of
bays are occupied by vehicles displaying blue Badges
Resulting loss of income could be up to £450,000 per annum
5. MIS-USE RECORDED BY PA’S
PA’s regularly complete alleged mis-use forms
These record details of actual or suspected mis-use
Monitoring over a period of 2 years shows that of 821 mis-use
forms completed
663 Penalty Charge Notices were issued
315 of which were paid at discount
6. DIFFICULTIES IN ENFORCEMENT
A Parking Attendant must be on site when the vehicle is being
parked or when the vehicle is about to leave an area
Information concerning the issue of the badge is not readily
available to the Parking Attendant – should improve with BBIS
Police attendance on site not usually possible unless by prior
arrangement and site specific
Fragmented approach to what we do with information
concerning abuse of the scheme – should improve with BBIS
It appears to be socially acceptable to use a badge when not
entitled
7. BLUE BADGE OPERATIONS
Regularly liaise with Strathclyde Police – Blue Badge ‘Sting’
Operations
Use intelligence gathered by PA’s to identify key locations
where mis-use is most prevalent
PA’s and Police work in conjunction to identify mis-use
Negotiate ‘dedicated’ Policing resource as part of the
Community Policing Partnership-leading with impact report
8. RESULTS
12 Blue Badge ‘Stings’ over 2 year period
192 Vehicles approached
51 Drivers charged and reported to the Procurator Fiscal
Reduction in Blue Badge parking following operations
12. ENFORCEMENT-THE WAY FORWARD
Have less ambiguous powers of inspection with PA’s being
permitted to seize Badges (2013).
Instant information about the issue of the badge at the time of
inspection by the Parking Attendant – BBIS National Database
System
The current concession of free parking throughout the
city/country needs to be discussed.
More public awareness concerning the abuse of the Disabled
Badge Scheme
Improved relations between legitimate Badge holders and
enforcement agencies
Improved public awareness and education of the scheme and
it’s aims
13. RECOMENDATIONS
Education:
implement educational campaigns at school level in the style of anti
smoking, anti drink driving and seatbelt campaigns - make Blue
Badge mis-use socially and morally unacceptable as well as other
dedicated bays
Wider Public - Employees:
Targeted campaigns – use GCC’s Internet and Intranet services – the
Glasgow and Insider Magazines - Employee Pay Portal – advise of
consequences of mis-use
Advertising:
Promote awareness of the impact of Blue Badge mis-use – posters
on the side of GCC’s vehicles, in car parks and in bus shelters
Decriminalisation
Decimalisation of the Offence of Mis Use
14. CONCLUSION
Need to tackle Blue Badge mis-use
The free parking element should be discussed
New BBIS database must be updated, maintained, with any
instances of mis-use being accurately recorded
PA’s given powers to seize mis-used Blue Badges
Look at providing education at an early age to the
consequences of people mis-using the blue badge (pester
power).