Six people have been sentenced after being found to be illegally using Blue Badges on their vehicles in Barking.

A team of enforcement officers within Barking and Dagenham Council's parking service discovered six people misusing Blue Badges during routine inspections, the authority said.

They were sentenced at Barkingside Magistrates Court last month.

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Five were fined a total of £1,250 while one was sentenced to a 12-month conditional discharge.

Councillor Syed Ghani, cabinet member for enforcement and community safety, said: “Blue Badges are specifically for people who need help due to their disability or health conditions and enable them to park closer to their destination. It’s awful that some people think it is okay to use them for their own gain.

“This is certainly something that we won’t stand for in Barking and Dagenham. I would like to thank the two parking enforcement officers and legal team for catching these people.”

Anyone concerned that somebody is using a Blue Badge illegally can report it to the council online by emailing ParkingInvestigationTeam@lbbd.gov.uk.

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