FEARS have been raised that hundreds of disabled drivers in Redbridge could be slapped with unnecessary parking fines amid doubts over the ability of the council's new CCTV system to spot blue badges.

The concerns come in the wake of other local authorities, such as in Richmond last year, being caught issuing invalid fines because its cameras failed to properly recognise the permits.

Redbridge Council, which first began enforcing traffic laws using cameras last month, has flatly denied the claims, but has admitted CCTV operators may have to rely on traffic wardens to check vehicles in person in some cases.

Despite the council's assurances, many remain sceptical.

John Hewitt, of High View Road in South Woodford, can only walked a few steps and relies on his wheelchair to get around.

He said: “I find my blue badge very useful because I can park on yellow lines for several hours, and there are many shops I wouldn't be able to visit otherwise.

“I'm sure if I was incorrectly given a ticket eventually it would be refunded, but I have enough things to worry about as it is without having to go through all the hassle and stress of appealing.

“I don't trust what the council say about being able to spot badges from cameras.”

A council spokeswoman said: “In locations where blue badge parking is permitted, Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) will only be issued where the camera is able to provide a view of the car windscreen so that it can be established that there is no blue badge on display, or the badge is incorrectly displayed.

“CCTV operators will be in communication with on-street and mobile civil enforcement officers who can be deployed to check vehicles where requested by the camera operator.”

But Ronnie Crace, of New Wanstead in Wanstead, who helps run east London disabled group the Lung Club, said: “I know so many people with blue badges you get fined by wardens in the flesh, so there's not much hope for cameras.

“Only the other week we had one of our members in another part of London who is 89 years old, and he got fined because his blue badge was upside down on his dash board.”