A parking attendant gave motorist Ann Teare the £30 charge in Lewes last month under strict guidance designed to combat widespread fraud in disabled badges.
But Cllr Matthew Lock, Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment, has now decided to cancel the ticket, instead using the opportunity to highlight to disabled drivers that blue badges should be correctly displayed.
He said: "There are very good reasons to enforce the rules about blue badges being displayed correctly and the parking attendant in this case was right to do so. Many badges are counterfeit and if they cannot be read properly, they cannot be checked for irregularities. This means we cannot combat a crime that robs local people of money that could be invested in transport improvements.
"However, I have reviewed this case personally and it is clear that Mrs Teare's blue badge was genuine. So the County Council will waive the fee, as a seasonal gesture of good will. At the same time, I would strongly urge disabled motorists to be very careful about how they display their badges because they run the risk of being issued with a ticket if the badge cannot be read."
The County Council stressed that this decision would not affect other penalty charges either in the future or that have already been issued.
Notes to editors
The County Council stated that this is a one off decision to highlight to the holders of Blue Badges that they must display them properly or risk a £30 parking ticket.
Reference:
1761
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