Drivers have been caught in the act parking in disabled bays without blue badges outside a council office.

Cars have been routinely spotted parking in bays labelled “disabled” or marked with a disabled symbol outside Waltham Forest Council’s Rowan House office in Cecil Road, Leytonstone.

Several motorists have been caught red-handed using the designated spaces outside the office without the necessary blue badge, which proves a person is eligible to use the bays.

One residents told the Guardian he had lodged complaints with the council after first spotting the problem, although no action had been taken.

He added: “I noticed it as my sister is disabled and I get really frustrated when I see fit and healthy people get out of cars in disabled bays.

“I see them getting away with it virtually every single day, it is almost beyond belief because the next road over is a CPZ but you will never find a traffic warden down here.

“I have reported it to the council and they have done nothing about it, their attitude seemed to be that they wanted me to go away.

“They told me before that they were ‘courtesy’ bays, not disabled bays. I say that is fine if you are not the council.

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

Drivers have been caught parking in the bays without blue badges

“But, surely they should be providing bays when I feel disabled people already get a bad rub in this borough, we still do not even have step-free access at Leyton or Leytonstone tube stations.”

The blue badge scheme was set up by the government to allow disabled drivers and passengers to park as close to their destination as possible.

Those eligible include people who are registered blind, suffer from a condition that affects their mobility or have young children with serious medical problems.

Parking in a disabled bay without a blue badge is an offence for which a fixed penalty notice (FPN) can be issued to a motorist.

In London, the current fine for the offence is set at £130, which is reduced if paid within 14 days. This is more than double the £70 fine issued outside London.

Waltham Forest Council deputy leader, Clyde Loakes, said: “We know that there are concerns about the use of spaces at Rowan House, which we share with other organisations.

“Clearly parking in disabled parking bays without a badge should not take place.

“Our staff know not to park in these spaces and we will be reminding other tenants in the building that they should remain free for disabled parking as designated.”