We have launched a six-week amnesty to try to encourage people to hand in blue badges either no longer needed or valid.
The amnesty will run until Monday, 3 September, and extends to include permit equivalents issued by other countries within the European Union.
We issued more than 11,500 blue badges over the past 12 months, and while the majority of people are using blue badges correctly, a small minority, says the council, are flouting the arrangements. This can leave those with valid permits unable to park in designated areas as well as leading to a loss of confidence in the blue badge scheme.
We are introducing this amnesty to give those with expired blue badges a chance to hand them in without being prosecuted.
“We want to free up spaces for genuine blue badge holders, who can find parking difficult. Sometimes these difficulties can be due to a small minority of people who abuse the system and park in designated spaces illegally.
Person:Councillor Blake Pain, cabinet member for environment and transport
The amnesty forms part of our commitment to tackling blue badge misuse, which carries financial penalties in terms of penalty charge notices for not renewing blue badges and persistent misuse. In some cases we can take legal action.
Misusing a blue badge is a criminal offence and carries a fine of up to £1,000 and prosecution.
People can send blue badges that aren’t needed using the freepost address; Blue Badge Amnesty, Room 400, Leicestershire County Council, Have Your Say, FREEPOST NAT18685, Leicester, LE3 8XR.