Parking enforcement officers have seized over 140 blue badges fraudulently used by motorists across Waltham Forest.

To clamp down on the mis-use of the disability passes, Waltham Forest Council, the police, and parking contractors NSL teamed up with the blue badge fraud initiative team (BBFI) 18 months ago.

So far, 209 badges have been removed, with 144 of those being confiscated in the last 12 months after they were established as fake, stolen, reported lost, or belonging to someone else.

In addition to the removed badges, 51 cases have been referred to court, and a total of 11 people have been arrested on suspicion of fraud and mis-use.

Arrests were made in Station Road and Chingford Mount Road, and Westbury Road, Erskine Road, Eldon Road, Mission Grove Road and Buxton Road in Walthamstow.

A 62 year-old has been convicted of forgery after being found using a conterfeit blue badge on March 21 of last year.

Ryszard Dytlow, of Russell Road in Walthamstow was sentenced to a six-month driving ban and ordered to pay costs of £250. 

The council has highlighted the area around Walthamstow Market to have the highest level of mis-use. 

Cllr Clyde Loakes, deputy leader and cabinet member for environment said:

"We have come across lots of people using their relative’s badges and even discovered people using badges belonging to family members who have died.

"There was even one incident recently where someone had a fake badge made using a cereal box. Anyone considering this sort of thing needs to understand is that essentially you’re committing fraud."

Each year the council issues approximately 3,500 blue badges and each one is valid for up to three years, but the fraudulent used of badges means local authorities collectively make a combined annual loss of £4.6 million.