Huge extension to blue badge parking dangerous, says minister

Ken Skates said people need confidence the blue badge scheme is not being abused

A "huge extension" to the number of people eligible for blue disability parking badges would be "dangerous" and could undermine their integrity, Wales' transport minister has warned.

Ken Skates was referring to calls to include carers, cancer patients and people suffering from anxiety.

He said this could raise the number of badges in Wales from 211,000 to 1.5m.

Mr Skates gave evidence to an inquiry by AMs into the scheme's effectiveness and the impact of extending it.

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Mr Skates told the equality committee's inquiry that to allow carers to use the badges when the person they care for was not in the vehicle would mean "we'd be looking at about 370,000 more".

"By 2030, we're looking at around 250,000 cancer patients. It's been proposed for people with anxiety as well. 20% of the people at any one point is suffering from depression or anxiety," he said.

"Before long you could increase the number of blue badges that are in existence from 211,000 to, what, 1.5m potentially?"

Fraudulent use of a blue badge is a criminal offence that can lead to a fine of up to £1,000, but Mr Skates said people need to "have confidence the system was working effectively and not being abused".

The minister told the committee that by July all 22 local authorities in Wales would have a "civil enforcement officer" to ensure more people using blue badges they were not entitled to were dealt with appropriately.

"Carrying out a huge extension to the scheme before we establish firmer confidence in it, I think, would be quite dangerous and could be detrimental to the integrity of the blue badge," he added.