Swansea ranks among UK’s worst for Blue Badge parking misuse, new data shows

New data released by mobility specialists CareCo reveals the scale of illegal parking in disabled bays, with Swansea responsible for 7.1% of all UK misuse cases in 2024. That places the city sixth nationally, ahead of major urban areas including Westminster, Bristol and Glasgow.

Only a handful of the UK’s largest cities — including Birmingham, Bournemouth, London and Cardiff — recorded higher levels of misuse.

The figures come from freedom of information responses submitted to more than 400 councils, and highlight how often disabled parking bays are being used illegally — leaving Blue Badge holders, elderly residents and people with limited mobility struggling to access essential services.

Across the UK, more than 45,000 penalty charge notices were issued last year for vehicles parked in accessible bays without the required permit — an average of 123 incidents every day.

With fines ranging from £70 to £130, the data suggests drivers misusing disabled bays paid more than £3.16 million in penalties in 2024.

William Harrison, founder of CareCo, said:

Accessible parking bays are a vital resource. When they are unavailable, those who need them most can be prevented from attending appointments, visiting shops, or living with their own vital independence. This high demand is under increased pressure from both misuse and lack of availability.

Swansea Council was among the authorities that responded to the FOI request, contributing to the national dataset. The figures show Swansea’s rate of misuse is higher than several larger UK cities, raising questions about enforcement, demand and the availability of accessible bays across the city.

In a statement to Swansea Bay News, a spokesperson from Swansea Council said:

“Accessible parking provision is vital for motorists who have limited mobility and rely on being able to park their vehicle near to local amenities.

“We do all we can to ensure these parking spaces are used properly and our parking enforcement team will continue to issue PCNs to motorists that are not permitted to use them.”

CareCo, which says it supports more than 2.8 million Blue Badge holders through its mobility advice and products, says it hopes the findings will spark a wider conversation about accessibility and independence.

First steps agreed towards extending access in Bridgend town centre

The Cabinet of Bridgend County Borough Council has approved an experimental traffic order that will run for 18 months, marking the first stage in reintroducing some forms of vehicular and cycle access to the pedestrianised streets.

The decision follows a public consultation which attracted more than 700 responses. A majority of participants supported extending loading and unloading hours, allowing cycling within the pedestrian zone, and creating more parking spaces for Blue Badge holders.

As part of the trial, loading and unloading will be permitted before 11am and after 4pm, while underused taxi bays on Derwen Road will be converted into additional disabled parking. Cycling will also be permitted in the pedestrianised area, subject to safety assessments, and arrangements will be simplified for large‑scale events or emergencies.

Councillor Neelo Farr, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Economic Development and Housing, said the council had listened carefully to public feedback and endorsed a motion to explore how traffic could be partially reintroduced.

“Public safety remains our primary concern, and this represents the first step towards restoring elements of vehicular and bicycle access within Bridgend town centre.”

The changes form part of the Bridgend Town Centre Masterplan, which recommended exploring new access options in light of updated national policy and guidance. The council will now monitor the impact of the experimental order closely over the coming months before deciding whether to make the changes permanent.

#blueBadge #Bridgend #BridgendCountyBoroughCouncil #BridgendTownCentre #CllrNeeloFarr #cycling #disabledParking #loading #parking #pedestrianZone #unloading

#Bunnings #Sunbury #DisabledParking signs are fading away.

For a change the disabled parking spots aren’t full of tradies utes!

My son is having surgery and has a disability. We had to wait around 10 minutes for someone at the hospital to leave a disabled car park when they didn't have a disability parking card and none of them were disabled.

#Disabled #DisabledParking

Comportamiento típico de gente que lleven #wankpanzer y #audi. Esos llegaron al parking al mismo momento que yo, con mucho espacio disponible, eligieron los dos espacios azules reservados para minusválidos. Por supuesto ni tienen tarjeta azul ni descapacidad. La gente joven y ágil entraron al súper como no pasaba absolutamente nada.

#climatechange #DisabledParking

1475JJX y 8737MRB

Disabled person parking permit - Why? No one has ever ridden me and then decided to park me.

#disability #disabledparking