Seven cars impounded and dozens of blue badges seized in Edinburgh fraud crackdown

Seven cars have been impounded and dozens of blue badges have been seized as part of a crackdown by the City of Edinburgh Council.

An initiative has been launched targeting areas where blue badge fraud or misuse has been reported.

The misuse includes the use of lost or stolen badges or those that belonged to a deceased person, and the misuse of badges belonging to family members by relatives who are not eligible to use them.

Blue badges allow people with mobility issues to park more conveniently and free of charge in pay and display and shared use on-street parking bays, on single yellow lines when loading is allowed and in disabled person’s parking places.

A car being lifted for impoundment in Edinburgh City of Edinburgh Council

Over two days of focused action, 16 parking tickets were issued and seven cars impounded for displaying lost, stolen or misused badges, which were taken from the offenders.

Where car owners were family members using blue badges without the badge holder being present, badges were confiscated and warning letters issued to holders, who could face losing their blue badge as a result.

Councillor Scott Arthur, transport and environment convener, said: “Using a counterfeit blue badge or one belonging to someone else, whether it’s lost, stolen or that of a family member, is fraud. Doing so doesn’t just break the rules that everyone else adheres to, but it takes away much-needed spaces for those with mobility issues. It is a fundamentally selfish act.

A car with a blue badge being displayed fraudulently being lifted for impoundment on George Street City of Edinburgh Council

“While it’s only a small minority of people that misuse blue badges, there’s still a problem. That’s why I hope the action being taken by our parking and fraud teams sends a clear message – blue badge fraud will not be tolerated.”