Decline of Blue badge numbers in Wigan

More than two in five people who are automatically entitled to a Blue Badge in Wigan do not have one, figures reveal.

By Post reporter

Published 3rd Jan 2020, 10:30 BST

Updated 3rd Jan 2020, 10:32 BST

Blue Badges are issued by councils to people with disabilities and allow them to park closer to their destination

The charity Disability Rights UK says it is concerned that “more draconian” benefit assessments could be driving down use of Blue Badges across England.

Department for Transport statistics show that 57% of the 17,500 people who automatically qualified for a Blue Badge in Wigan had one at the end of March.

Blue Badges are issued by councils to people with disabilities and allow them to park closer to their destination - across England, 47% of those eligible had a badge down from 64%.

Across England, drivers abusing the system were prosecuted on 1,432 occasions in 2018-19, an 18% increase on the year before, but 99% were against non-badge holders.