A CRACKDOWN on abuse and fraudulent use of 'blue badge' disabled parking permits has been unveiled by the council.

Councillors warn that people will be prosecuted if they abuse the scheme which gives disabled people free parking, and enables them to park in disabled spaces and on yellow lines.

The number of people with disabled badges in Barnsley has almost trebled in the last 20 years to 13,500.

Council enforcement officers spent two days checking for fraud to establish the level of misuse, and issued eight penalty charge notices after vehicles were parked using the badges without the badge holder being present.

One badge being used belonged to someone who had died.

 

** The full story appears in the Barnsley Chronicle, dated July 25. **