175,000 drivers fined for breaking Blue Badge rules: these are the cities with the most offenders

Almost 175,000 penalty charge notices were issued for Blue Badge offences in 2020

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Almost 175,000 fines were handed out for breaking the laws around Blue Badge parking permits in 2020.

The permits are issued to people with disabilities and allow holders to park for free and in areas where other drivers are not allowed. However there are concerns of widespread abuse of the system.

Fines for their misuse can reach £1,000 and offences range from displaying an invalid badge to using a stolen badge or parking in a disabled parking bay without using a Blue Badge.

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Data obtained via a Freedom of Information request has revealed that around the UK, 174,445 penalty charge notices (PCN) were issued in 2020 for such offences, as well as use of a Blue Badge by an unauthorised person.

The figures, obtained by USwitch also showed the towns and cities with the most offenders, with Milton Keynes topping the list of shame. A total of 5,962 fines were handed out in the Buckinghamshire city last year, just ahead of Manchester (5,799) and Leeds (4,573).

Birmingham and Colchester, with 4,069 and 3,879 respectively completed the top five list.