2.5M MISUSE DISABLED PARKING BAYS

Motorists are demanding harsher punishments for those who misuse disabled parking spots after new research revealed that as many as 2.5 million people flout the rules.

Drivers backed everything from increased fines to penalty points, driving bans and community service for those selfish enough to take a disabled bay when they don’t need it.

The study found that as many as two and a half million drivers have misused a disabled space, with excuses ranging from not noticing or being in a rush to simply not caring.

Harrison Woods, managing director of Yourparkingspace.co.uk which conducted the survey, said: “It is shocking to think that there is a significant number of Brits who believe there’s nothing wrong in parking in a disabled parking spot when they have no right to.

“Not only can this lead to a fine but it is also very inconsiderate to disabled drivers who might be forced to park somewhere else if the space is wrongly taken.”

Among the excuses given by motorists who admitted to misusing a disabled bay, were that they were in a rush, they thought no-one would notice, they didn’t care and even that they felt there should be no special parking for Blue Badge holders.

However, the most common reason was that they simply did not realise it was a disabled parking spot.

As well as harsher financial penalties, including increasing the maximum fine to £5,000, almost a quarter of those surveyed wanted a further punishment of three penalty points, while more than one in 10 backed the idea of community service.

A third of those asked also backed sending offenders on a disability awareness course, while a temporary driving ban was welcomed by just under five per cent of respondents.