A TREDEGAR man is backing a new campaign aimed at cracking down on drivers abusing the blue badge disabled parking system.

Former firefighter, Roy Jones, 71, who has been a blue badge holder for 20 years, is supporting the Welsh Government in launching new windscreen badges with increased security features making them harder to forge or use fraudulently.

Mr Jones, who is wheelchair-bound, said using the badge responsibly is "vital" to how the system works.

He said: "All sorts of people use disabled parking spaces when they shouldn't and it isn't right. I use my blue badge to the best of my ability and try not to cause any problems. It is the privilege of having a badge, not the privilege of being disabled, that allows you to use the spaces."

The revamped badges will be linked to a new national database of eligible badge-holders, making it easier for police and enforcement officers to spot those who abuse the system to park illegally in designated spaces causing inconvenience and sometimes physical pain to disabled drivers and passengers.

The new badges will be made of plastic, electronically printed and carry a photo and information that is stored on the database.

In Wales there are around 230,000 blue badges in use and a recent UK Government report highlighted widespread abuse of the system either by people using forged badges or using badges they are not entitled to.

Abuse of the blue badge scheme includes making fraudulent copies as well as using a disabled person's badge when they are not present.

All new badges will be phased in over the next three years as and when current holders renew their badges.