Blue Badge government warning as £1,000 fine risk for some

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

The Government has issued a stern warning to all Blue Badge holders, stating that it is illegal to use the disability parking permit if it has expired.

The Department for Transport's response was prompted by Labour MP Sojan Joseph's question about the possibility of temporarily using an expired badge while its renewal is being processed.

In a written reply on Thursday, Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood MP stated: "The Department has no plans to allow the temporary use of an expired Blue Badge.

It is an offence to use an expired badge which should be returned to the issuing local authority. Allowing the use of expired badges would undermine the effective enforcement of the scheme." The eligibility criteria for a Blue Badge was broadened in 2019 to include individuals with non-visible disabilities such as Parkinson's, dementia and epilepsy, enabling more people to park closer to their destinations when travelling as a driver or passenger, reports the Daily Record.