Basildon Council has teamed up with the Sporting Village to crack down on those who park in disabled bays without a blue badge.
Those who park in disabled bays at the Cranes Farm Road-based leisure centre without blue badge will now be issued with a notice making them fully aware of what they have done.
Contract Manager at Everyone Active Shaun Beagle said: “We want to give everyone the opportunity to enjoy the facilities at Basildon Sporting Village, and we feel this solution will help our members to do just that. After winning the 2018 UK Active Inclusion and Disability Award, we are committed to maintaining a high level of service to members from all backgrounds and circumstances.”
Leader of Basildon Council Councillor Gavin Callaghan said: “Sporting Village staff will be placing notices on cars that park in disabled bays without a badge. It is totally unfair for people to ignore the signage and to park in disabled bays, making life incredibly hard for disabled people and their carers to get in and out of their cars. We are getting tough on enforcement and this is the latest step. We are using a range of measures to change unfair and selfish behaviours of a small minority of people who are not playing by the rules.”
Neighbourhoods and Public Spaces Committee Chairman, Cllr David Harrison, added: “We are committed to ensuring that blue badge bays are reserved for those who need them. Officers are currently talking to those who manage these spaces on a day to day basis prior to the draft Traffic Regulation Order being published.”
The council is in the process of drafting a Traffic Regulation Order for all of its car parks, which will enable the council to ensure that blue badge bays are reserved for those who need them.
The maximum fine that can be issued for parking in a blue badge bay without a valid blue badge is £70.
