To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will instruct authorities responsible for parking enforcement to (a) desist from issuing penalty notices to users who place a valid, old-style badge incorrectly and (b) refund any penalties incurred by badge holders where they can prove their badge was valid but incorrectly displayed, following the modification in October 2007 of the Blue Badge to include a new message instructing users which way up to display the badge. (192738)

Blue Badges must be displayed correctly in order to help parking enforcement officers to identify abuse. All badges issued after 15 October 2007 contain additional wording to help users display the correct badge.

All badges issued before this time still contain written guidance on the correct method of display. In light of this fact, and the wide availability of the free public advice leaflet “The Blue Badge Scheme: Rights and Responsibilities in England” there are no plans to instruct local authorities to desist from issuing penalty notices, or to refund any penalties already issued, to users who display or have displayed badges incorrectly.