TOUGH new measures to crack down on drivers who abuse the disabled parking system - including a new Blue Badge design which is harder to forge - come into force on January 1.
Previously, Blue Badges were made from card and handwritten but from the New Year disabled drivers will be able to apply for an electronically printed badge, much like a driving licence.
The new badge will have security features such as a unique hologram, digital photo and serial number allowing parking attendants to check for genuine badges more easily through the windscreen.
Blue Badge fraud is estimated to cost the UK £46m a year and it is generally accepted that reform is urgently needed.
And the new badge is part of a wider crackdown on misuse of the scheme to ensure disabled parking spaces can only be used by those most in need.
Other measures include shared administration between authorities resulting in faster renewals, less abuse and operational efficiency savings of up to £20m a year.
There will also be better customer service for badge holders including being able to apply for and renew badges online as well as access to a new national helpline number. From April customers will also be able to report lost and stolen badges online.
The scheme will also be extended to more disabled children under three years of age and severely disabled Armed Forces personnel and veterans, as well as removing residency requirements for disabled service personnel and their families who are posted overseas on UK bases.
Transport Minister Norman Baker said: "Motorists who pretend to be disabled to get some free parking are frankly disgraceful.
“They prevent real Blue Badge holders from using parking bays designed for those genuinely in need and they cheat the vast majority of road users who play fair when they park their cars.
"Our new Blue Badge will be as secure as a banknote and anyone thinking of faking it can forget it. We are also tightening up on enforcement and eligibility so there will be no way to scam the system."
Blue Badges provide a vital lifeline to more than 2.5 million disabled people every year by prioritising key parking spaces close to important services. However, increasing levels of badge fraud have meant those spaces are often full.