Blue Badge driver slapped with £100 fine 'despite being clearly on display'
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A livid driver has been hit with a £110 fine for using a disabled parking spot, despite claiming to have displayed a Blue Badge.
Philip Davey has accused Havering Council of being "callous and cruel", after getting the ticket which he says has caused turmoil for his critically ill mother-in-law who is battling cancer, reports Express.co.uk.
On the night of January 20, the East Londoner from Elm Park found himself landed with a penalty notice while parked in Billet Lane car park, as he visited the Queen's Theatre in Hornchurch.
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His assertion is that he had exhibited his mother-in-law's Blue Badge on the car dash, clear for everyone to see.
Yet, the citation stated that according to the traffic warden's "evidence taken", there was an absence of a time clock – a claim that Mr Davey refutes.
For some parking zones with time limitations, Blue Badge holders are obliged to display a clock showing their time of arrival.
Mr Davey said: "The Blue Badge was displayed, and I was parked in an appropriate manner in a disabled bay.
He continued: "Why would you want to harass and persecute an elderly person with cancer? I think it's very callous and cruel. It's scandalous – there's no two ways about it."
A stalwart resident of Havering for four decades, Mr Davey is now urging the council to rescind his fine.
Responding to the situation, a representative from the council mentioned that they'd be open to reassessing the appeal if further evidence was provided demonstrating adherence to the blue badge usage requirements.
They further stated: "The council offers its sympathies to the family at what must be a challenging time."
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Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Daily Mail
For every disabled parking bay there are 52 Blue Badge holders as scheme is exploited and oversubscribed
There are increasing concerns the Blue Badge scheme for people with disabilities is both oversubscribed and 'shockingly' exploited as cases of misuse spiral in recent years. For every disabled parking bay in the UK, there are currently 52 permit holders, according to estimations in a new report published by This is based on almost 3.3million Blue Badge holders and just 63,000 parking spaces across the country. And demand for permits continues to rise with the rate of new applications increasing by 31 per cent between 2022 and 2024. In total, 1.3million new applications were made over the three-year period - and that's on top of the 1.5million renewal applications requested by existing holders. Of these 2.8million applications in total, just 245,566 - around 9 per cent - were rejected as the scheme continues to be overwhelmed. The report follows the release of figures that revealed that reported misuse cases relating to Blue Badge misuse have increased by over 1,000 per cent in less than a decade, highlighting a 'serious and growing problem of fraud and abuse'. The comparison site said the oversubscription issue is also being exacerbated by other drivers wrongly using disabled parking spaces when they shouldn't. According to a Freedom of Information request to 207 UK councils (of which 182 responded with data), 705,310 penalty charge notices were issued for misuse of disabled parking bays between 2022 and 2024. In a poll of 2,000 UK drivers, a third (36 per cent) of those who have a blue badge (11 per cent) said they've turned up somewhere needing to park, only to find someone without a permit using designated spaces. A similar volume said there aren't enough accessible disabled spaces where they live. Two thirds said they are often left with no other option but to park in a standard-sized bay, which do not provide access for wheelchairs or to those with mobility issues, while two in five have been forced to drive elsewhere to find suitable parking provisions. Last month, the nation's parking trade association vowed to crackdown Blue Badge fraud having seen instances of misuse spiral. Instances of reported abuse of the scheme have grown from hundreds per year in 2016 to over 3,500 cases by 2023 in what the British Parking Association (BPA) called a blatant 'undermining of the integrity' of the scheme. Permit thefts are also becoming a bigger issue, with the number of Blue Badges stolen in London alone spiralling by 400 per cent between 2014 and 2023. Blue Badge misuse is deemed a criminal offence that could lead to a £1,000 fine and confiscation of the badge. It can also result in court prosecution, and legal action may also be taken in circumstances where false information has been provided to acquire a Blue Badge. Rhydian Jones, commercial director at said the study highlights that the 'system is struggling' due to an imbalance of permits versus parking spaces - and other drivers abusing the rules. 'It's clear that more needs to be done - both to increase the number of accessible bays and to prevent misuse,' he said. The British Parking Association has warned there is a 'serious and growing problem of fraud and abuse of the Blue Badge scheme' Borrowing Granny's badge... The range of permit abuse identified by National Blue Badge - an enforcement agency working on behalf of local authorities to identify misuse - between 2016 and 2023 included a range of issues, from intentional theft, organised fraud, producing and selling counterfeit badges online, and using deceased people's badges. 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The Sun
5 days ago
- The Sun
Warning to anyone with Blue Badge over ‘misunderstood rule' that could land you with £1,000 fine or see you lose permit
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Scottish Sun
31-05-2025
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‘I was there to lose' – Confessions of journeyman boxer who LOST 96 fights but has WON battles with cocaine and booze
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) JOURNEYMAN boxer Johnny Greaves battled drugs, booze, depression and abuse throughout his 100-fight pro career. The 46-year-old East Londoner admits he was 'no better than useless' as he lost 96 TIMES. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Johnny Greaves is one of Britain's most celebrated journeyman boxers Credit: Rex 5 Greaves had 100 fights, winning his final Credit: Getty He would take some fights at the last minute, entering the ring on a stomach of lager, while also battling a debilitating cocaine habit and praying he would LOSE to guarantee further pay-days. Fans would SPIT on him as he walked into the ring and Greaves admitted that, at times, he was treated 'no better than a dog.' But, no matter how big a beating he took, he never missed a day working as a self-employed painter-decorator to put food on the table for his missus Vicky, daughter Ruby and son Teddy. When Greaves turned pro in 2007, aged 30, he'd already fought 50 unlicensed and 30 amateur bouts. READ MORE IN BOXING GLOVE AND HATE Fisher opens up on backstabbers who turned on him after Allen win But after being told he would earn just £800 a fight as a new pro, building up his name and needing to sell tickets, he swapped to the away corner. Knowing he could make almost £2,000 a pop as an opponent for up-and-coming stars, he forfeited his desire to be a champ. Greaves has relived his astonishing career for a new book called Bright Lights and Dark Corners And in an exclusive SunSport interview, Greaves revealed: 'At the time I was skint. I didn't have a lot of work on. 'Vicky and I had just moved into a place, Teddy had just been born with severe clubfoot, so he was in and out of hospitals every other day. 'I was struggling badly.' However, his decision kick-started one of the most celebrated journeyman boxing careers in Britain, with Greaves fighting up to 20 TIMES a year. 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Let's all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You're Not Alone. If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support: CALM, 0800 585 858 Heads Together, HUMEN Mind, 0300 123 3393 Papyrus, 0800 068 41 41 Samaritans, 116 123 'People just don't understand the game and the business model of how boxing actually works. 'So dealing with things mentally and emotionally was tough.' Greaves had just one rule when he fought - his friends and family were banned from attending. He explained: 'Look, I'm there to lose. I don't want my wife and kids seeing that.' However, he made an exception for his final fight in 2013 when he BEAT Dan Carr at York Hall to bow out with a victory in front of 500 of his fans. Greaves beamed: 'I fought my heart out and trained like a beast. I would have boxed anyone in my last fight and been confident enough to win it. 'I would have boxed King Kong that last time and I'm pretty sure I would have at put up a good fight.' Greaves opens up on his astonishing career in his biography, Bright Lights and Dark Corners, which is on sale now. Detailing his boxing life in black and white helped him KO the demons that plagued his years in the ring. He said: 'This book has been a therapy session for me, it's about getting a lot off my chest.' Bright Lights & Dark Corners by Johnny Greaves is available to buy now at
