Cornwall Council Launches Blue Badge Awareness Campaign After Survey Highlights Common Parking Mistakes

Cornwall – Blue Badge holders across Cornwall are being encouraged to brush up on the rules of the scheme after a council survey found that nearly one in five respondents had received a parking ticket while displaying their permit during the past three years.

Cornwall Council has launched a public awareness campaign designed to help disabled motorists and passengers use their Blue Badges correctly, reduce avoidable fines and increase confidence when parking.

The campaign follows feedback from more than 1,000 Blue Badge holders, who shared their experiences of using the scheme. According to the survey, many parking penalties resulted from simple mistakes, such as forgetting to display the parking clock, badges slipping from view on the dashboard, overstaying permitted time limits or parking in loading bays and other restricted areas where Blue Badge concessions do not apply.

Over the coming weeks, the Council will provide practical advice explaining where Blue Badge holders can and cannot park, while highlighting some of the most common reasons motorists receive penalty notices.

As part of the initiative, Cornwall Council is also running online information sessions for Blue Badge holders, together with family members, carers and friends who regularly assist badge users. The webinars are intended to explain how the scheme works, answer questions and help people avoid common errors.

The authority says around 75 people have already taken part in the online events, with additional sessions planned.

Alongside advice on parking regulations, the campaign also reminds residents that Blue Badges must only be used when the badge holder is travelling in the vehicle. Using a friend’s or relative’s badge when they are not present is considered misuse of the scheme.

The reminder comes amid wider concerns about Blue Badge fraud across the UK, including reports of counterfeit permits, stolen badges and the misuse of badges belonging to deceased relatives.

Councillor Thalia Marrington, Cornwall Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Public Protection, said:

“More than 1,000 people responded to our Blue Badge survey and I’d like to thank everyone that shared their thoughts and experiences.

“Blue Badges are a real lifeline for thousands of people across Cornwall and we want to make sure all Blue Badge holders feel confident using their badge.

“We’ve had some really positive feedback from our online events and we hope that this campaign will be useful to Blue Badge holders.”

Blue Badges provide parking concessions for people with disabilities or health conditions that affect their mobility, helping them access services, workplaces and community facilities more easily. However, badge holders are still required to follow local parking restrictions and ensure permits are displayed correctly.

Further information about Cornwall Council’s Blue Badge campaign and upcoming online events is available via the Council’s website:

https://www.cornwall.gov.uk