REPORT ON BLUE BADGE ENFORCEMENTREPORT ON BLUE BADGE ENFORCEMENT

MICHAEL BRADY

ASSISTANT GROUP MANAGER

PARKING PROJECTS AND EVENTS

JUNE 2012

SUMMARYSUMMARY

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.

KEY FACTSKEY 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.

COST OF MIS-USECOST 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

MIS-USE RECORDED BY PA’SMIS-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

DIFFICULTIES IN ENFORCEMENTDIFFICULTIES 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

BLUE BADGE OPERATIONSBLUE 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

RESULTSRESULTS

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

BEFORE ‘STING’ OPERATION - MILLER BEFORE ‘STING’ OPERATION - MILLER STREETSTREET

AFTER ‘STING’ OPERATION - SPOT THE AFTER ‘STING’ OPERATION - SPOT THE DIFFERENCE!DIFFERENCE!

DESIGNATED DISABLED BAYSDESIGNATED DISABLED BAYS- NORMALLY FULLY OCCUPIED- NORMALLY FULLY OCCUPIED

ENFORCEMENT-THE WAY FORWARDENFORCEMENT-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

RECOMENDATIONSRECOMENDATIONS 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

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION 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).