Published on:
30
December 2011
A new Blue Badge design, being launched throughout Scotland and England on 1 January 2012, will make it easier to crack down on fraud and assist disabled drivers find parking spaces.
Clackmannanshire's 2,500 Blue Badge holders are also set to benefit from the changes to the national parking concessions scheme through improved customer service and faster badge renewals. The new badge design, which includes digital photographs, makes the badges harder to tamper with, copy or forge.
The reform measures are being introduced by the Department of Transport and the Scottish and Welsh Governments following a period of public consultation.
From January, the current process for issuing Blue Badges in Scotland will be superseded with a single national database, the Blue Badge Improvement Service (BBIS), being the only legal way to issue new or replacement badges. The new database of badge holders and their key details will prevent multiple and fraudulent applications, as well as enabling quick and easy validity checks to be made anywhere in the country.
Local authorities will retain responsibility for application forms and assessing drivers' eligibility. Under new assessment procedures, GPs will no longer carry out mobility assessments, with councils assuming responsibility for new Independent Mobility Assessments, the need for which is determined by individual circumstances.
Councillor Eddie Carrick, Sustainability portfolio holder, said: "It has been widely acknowledged that there were concerns around aspects of the scheme, including allocation of badges and high levels of abuse, and therefore this reform is to be welcomed."
Keith Brown MSP, Minister for Housing and Transport, said: "It is a logical move to make changes to the design of the Blue Badge and to introduce a national database with central distribution of more secure badges. These changes should help to reduce misuse of the badge."
A new helpline will signpost callers to the relevant local authority and applicants will be able to apply for a badge on-line via www.bluebadgesscotland.org
Alternatively, Clackmannanshire Council can be contacted for advice and assistance with paper applications. Paper application forms can either be sent out by post or can be downloaded from the Council's Blue Badge Scheme page on Clacksweb.
Further information and relevant documents relating to BBIS and the new legislation can be found on the Transport Scotland Blue Badge website.