Kingston Council is bracing itself for appeals from so-called “blue badge cheats”, whose parking rights have been removed, according to the boss of Kingston Centre for Independent Living (KCIL).

Two people have already appealed against the new tough rules designed to weed out abusers of the system, according to the disability charity’s chief executive Theo Harris.

Police seized nine badges and gave out £100 fines to 23 drivers in an operation to tackle fraudulent use of the badges during August and October 2007, as the council took a stronger line on the criteria it uses to assess eligibility.

There were also fears friendly family doctors were assessing people as eligible too easily, leading the council to approve national guidelines bringing in independent assessments by occupational therapists.

Ms Harris said: “A lot of people may lose out. I have spoken to somebody who certainly needs a blue badge and he said he is very worried because if ever he had to go up for a blue badge again he would lose it, because of the criteria they are using. He is quite concerned.”

KCIL will have one of its members at the table during appeals, albeit without a decision-making role.

Ms Harris added: “I think there are going to be a lot of people who are very unhappy.

“Abuse can happen on several different levels.

"We do know there have been some people who have been claiming incapacity benefits who aren’t entitled but I think it’s a few people who have really screwed it up for others.”

One of Boris Johnson’s deputy mayors, Richard Barnes, who is responsible for health, will attend KCIL’s annual general meeting at Kingsmeadow Stadium on October 20, from 11.30am to 2.30pm.

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