Cracking down on drivers who misuse disabled parking bays is the "right thing to do", MSPs were told yesterday.

Labour back bencher Jackie Baillie has put forward proposals for legislation that may see able-bodied motorists who park in disabled bays fined up to £60.

Yesterday she told Holyrood that the measures in her Member's Bill were important for disabled people in Scotland.

Ms Baillie went on to tell MSPs that cracking down on motorists who abuse disabled bays was "unambiguously the right thing to do".

She added: "Such opportunities are rare in politics and ought not to be missed."

Ms Baillie's Disabled Persons' Parking Places (Scotland) Bill aims to make disabled parking bays under local council control legally enforceable. It will introduce a fine of £30 for those who misuse the bays, rising to £60 if not paid within 14 days.

Ms Baillie said surveys had shown that between 20% and 44% of disabled parking spaces were used by able- bodied drivers. She said: "Almost 85% of disabled parking bays are advisory and so anyone can park in them without risk of being penalised.

"Local authorities simply rely on the goodwill of other drivers."

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