Sutton Council continued its crackdown on disabled badge cheats when two more drivers were convicted at Croydon Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, 8 March after pleading guilty to misusing their Blue Badges.
Miss Mandah Aidara, aged 35, had parked a Ford vehicle on a single yellow line in Benhill Avenue, Sutton, and displayed a Blue Badge to collect a prescription and do some food shopping on Thursday, 11 February. The Badge belonged to her son who was at school at the time.
Sutton Council continued its crackdown on disabled badge cheats when two more drivers were convicted at Croydon Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, 8 March after pleading guilty to misusing their Blue Badges.
Miss Mandah Aidara, aged 35, had parked a Ford vehicle on a single yellow line in Benhill Avenue, Sutton, and displayed a Blue Badge to collect a prescription and do some food shopping on Thursday, 11 February. The Badge belonged to her son who was at school at the time.
Mrs Katherine Chavush, aged 45, parked a Ford vehicle on a single yellow line in Benhill Avenue, Sutton, and displayed a Blue Badge to collect some duvets from Argos on Wednesday, 13 January. Chavush said the badge belonged to her son who was at a hospital appointment in Tooting at the time.
At Croydon Magistrates' Court, Aidara, of Cedars Avenue, Mitcham, received a 12-month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £400 costs and a victim surcharge of £15.
Chavush, of Cowper Gardens, Wallington, received a 12-month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay costs of £250 and a victim surcharge of £15.
Blue Badges are issued for the sole use of a named individual and are only valid when it is being used by, or for, the disabled person when that person is present. It is stated clearly on the Badge that misuse may constitute a criminal offence.
Cllr Jill Whitehead, Chair of the Environment and Neighbourhoods Committee at Sutton Council, said:
"While it may be tempting for the parents of children who have Blue Badges to want to use them to park when their children are not with them, they must not do so. Blue Badges must only be used by the people named on them.
"Blue Badges are issued to help disabled people have convenient access to busy town centres. We have only a limited number of disabled parking bays in Sutton and it is important that they are reserved for people who are genuinely disabled."
Police and Sutton Council Parking Services' officers carry out regular joint patrols and use the borough's CCTV system to gather evidence to stop misuse of the borough's disabled parking bays which are for residents who have permanent or severe mobility difficulties and want to park conveniently for the shops.
The vast majority of Sutton's Blue Badge Holders use the Badges as they are intended. However, a small minority of drivers deliberately misuse the Blue Badge privilege.
In January 2016, figures produced by the Department of Transport ranked Sutton Council 10th out of all local authorities in England taking the most legal action against disabled badge cheats between the period 1 April 2014 and 31 March 2015.
At Croydon Magistrates' Court, Aidara, of Cedars Avenue, Mitcham, received a 12-month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £400 costs and a victim surcharge of £15.
Chavush, of Cowper Gardens, Wallington, received a 12-month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay costs of £250 and a victim surcharge of £15.
Blue Badges are issued for the sole use of a named individual and are only valid when it is being used by, or for, the disabled person when that person is present. It is stated clearly on the Badge that misuse may constitute a criminal offence.
Cllr Jill Whitehead, Chair of the Environment and Neighbourhoods Committee at Sutton Council, said:
"While it may be tempting for the parents of children who have Blue Badges to want to use them to park when their children are not with them, they must not do so. Blue Badges must only be used by the people named on them.
"Blue Badges are issued to help disabled people have convenient access to busy town centres. We have only a limited number of disabled parking bays in Sutton and it is important that they are reserved for people who are genuinely disabled."
Police and Sutton Council Parking Services' officers carry out regular joint patrols and use the borough's CCTV system to gather evidence to stop misuse of the borough's disabled parking bays which are for residents who have permanent or severe mobility difficulties and want to park conveniently for the shops.
The vast majority of Sutton's Blue Badge Holders use the Badges as they are intended. However, a small minority of drivers deliberately misuse the Blue Badge privilege.
In January 2016, figures produced by the Department of Transport ranked Sutton Council 10th out of all local authorities in England taking the most legal action against disabled badge cheats between the period 1 April 2014 and 31 March 2015.