CHANGES to the use of “blue badges” for on-street parking by disabled drivers in Blackburn town centre are being proposed by the council.

It will be followed by a crackdown on those who misuse them.

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Borough officers will check on the use of the permits, the entitlement of the drivers and crackdown on any continued abuse to the system.

Currently, the Blackburn with Darwen council allows holders of the special permits to park at both on and off street car parking sites, including all pay and display bays and borough-owned car parks, free of charge and for an unrestricted length of time.

It is one of just a handful of councils in the country to operate such a generous concession.

Later this year the rules will be changed to restrict on-street parking in Blackburn town centre to a maximum stay of three hours.

Businesses with disabled employees holding blue badges who need parking for the whole of the working day will be able to make special arrangements with the council to keep the concession.

Council deputy leader Andy Kay said: “We believe that some of the people using the all-day parking concession are not the blue badge holders entitled to use it.

“This is occupying parking spaces all day that could be used by other blue badge holders who need them for shopping or other motorists.

“We will introduce the change later this year.

“Our civil enforcement officers will then make checks on the entitlement of the drivers of parked car using blue badges and strictly enforce the new regulations.”

A document approved by the full borough Council Forum said: “There are 7,550 blue badge parking permits and in Blackburn town centre alone, there are 45 designated off street blue badge holder parking bays and 40 on-street blue badge holder parking bays.

“Recent surveys have identified a significant number of blue badge holders parking for long periods of time (over five hours) in badge-holder and on-street parking bays.

“The same vehicles have parked there on a daily basis, thereby restricting the opportunities for other Blue Badge holders to use these spaces.

“The majority of usage is around King William Street, Richmond Terrace, Blakey Moor and Ainsworth Street.

“The surveys highlighted that a number of on-street bays are continually occupied by the same vehicles, including dedicated spaces inTackett Street, Church Street and Darwen Street.

“To tackle the issues, holders will be restricted to a maximum stay of three hours for on-street bays, with no return within two hours.

“This change only applies to on-street parking and blue badge holders will still be able to park at council-owned car parks.”