Drive to stop blue badge misuse

One in five thefts from unattended vehicles involves a blue badge

A major crackdown on the fraudulent use of disabled parking badges in a Sussex city has started.

Police and parking attendants will be mounting patrols across Brighton throughout February to target the illegal use of blue badges.

The aim of Operation Bluebird is to free up disabled parking spaces and make them available for the people who need them.

Use of a blue badge by an able-bodied person carries a fine of up to £1,000.

Sussex Police said one in five thefts from unattended vehicles involved a disabled permit.

'Thoughtless and shameful'

Cars displaying stolen blue badges will be towed away as part of the operation.

Karen Coley, of the Brighton and Hove Disabled Access Advisory Group, said: "The misuse of blue badges is a thoughtless and shameful activity.

"Disabled people often need wider spaces to enable access into and out of their cars and, if they have mobility difficulties, they need to be parked closer to shops and so on."

Insp Jane Derrick, of Brighton and Hove Police, said: "Annually, theft of blue badges represents around one in five of all thefts from unattended vehicles.

"It is also a criminal offence to use a blue badge fraudulently and we will bring those who abuse the system before the courts."