Report ES18025

Members were informed of activity by the Shared Parking Service to combat the criminal offence of Blue Badge misuse.

APCOA Civil Enforcement Officers (CEOs) carry out Inspections and ask drivers of vehicles displaying Blue Badge specific questions to determine whether or not misuse is taking place. CEOs and authorised Council Officers can legally confiscate a Blue Badge and return it to the issuing Local Authority should any misuse be suspected. 

High rates of prosecution success are achieved through close working with the Greenwich Fraud Team and for a second year the shared parking service engaged with Blue Badge holders through the Blue Badge Bulletin, raising awareness of Blue Badge rules and providing an update on the enforcement campaign. An online survey with Blue Badge holders also aimed to gauge awareness on aspects of the campaign and further initiatives included:

·  business cards allowing individuals to report misuse;

·  press releases to highlight each prosecution success;

·  stronger warning signs displayed in key areas on-street and in car parks;

·  a hotline and e-form on the Council’s website to report misuse;

·  distribution of feedback cards to encourage drivers to leave comments after a Blue Badge inspection (96% of feedback being positive); and

·  use of social media, e.g. Twitter, to raise awareness of the scheme.

Key intelligence from regular action days, where CEOs report each Blue Badge number seen on patrol, help pinpoint where badges are most used. Common trends are also recognised in badge misuse (e.g. display of a child’s badge during school hours or display of an elderly person’s badge outside a gym) and certain locations are targeted at certain times to tackle misuse. 

Use of the Blue Badge Improvement System (allowing Council officers to see details of a badge in real time) enabled on-street identification of a badge holder to compare with a driver or passenger. Any display of a lost, stolen or deceased person’s badge can also be identified.

Following a thorough investigation after confiscating a badge, evidence is collaborated and the case passed to the Greenwich Fraud Team. Results of the Fraud Team’s investigation are then sent to Parking Services and after a further look at the case by the Head of Parking Service, a recommendation is made to the Head of Audit to make a final decision on whether to prosecute. 

From January 2016 to February 2018:

·  165 badges were confiscated because of suspected misuse;

·  83 drivers were successfully prosecuted (including 11 prosecutions where a Penalty Charge Notice was issued);

·  54 warning letters were issued due to mitigating circumstances;

·  the driver could not be traced in nine cases; 

·  33 additional badges were obtained which had expired; and

·  30 cases remained open and under investigation (at the time of Report ES18025). 

Although overall badge confiscations had more than doubled, the amount of

L B Bromley badges confiscated within the borough had significantly decreased. Comprehensive training and support to CEOs as part of the enforcement campaign included matters related to the identification of Blue Badge misuse and inspection/confiscation  ...  view the full minutes text for item 72