Payne Security, a leading international supplier of security documents, security document technologies and ID solutions, has announced its key role in delivering the new national Blue Badge Improvement Service (BBIS) for disabled parking on behalf of central government and local authorities.

Following a competitive procurement exercise, Northgate Public Services, working in association with Payne Security, has been awarded a five year contract to help reduce the misuse of the disabled parking badge scheme in the UK.

The Department for Transport (DfT) evaluation panel was unanimous in its selection of the Northgate and Payne Security team, basing its decision on Northgate’s record of providing public services and Payne Security’s advanced card technologies.

Combining expertise in the card manufacturing and national identity document security fields, Payne Security will be leading the badge design, print, supply and distribution of the completely new Blue Badge which will launch alongside Northgate’s secure web-based services.

The Blue Badge scheme is designed to offer a range of parking concessions for disabled people with severe mobility problems. The increasing issue of Blue Badge fraud is estimated to cost the public sector around £46 million a year. Northgate, in association with Payne Security, and together with central government and local authorities, aims to respond to the challenge of counterfeit blue badges entering the market, while improving customer service and efficiency. Due to go live on 1 January 2012, the scheme will provide a complete solution for the Blue Badge Improvement Service with a new and exclusive anti-fraud and anti-copy design and construction to prevent forgery and fraudulent alternation.

Payne Security, which was recently awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise, is one of the world’s leading providers of document security solutions with access to complex print technologies and security materials which are combined to create high security ID cards.

To comply with the new Blue Badge legislation, Payne Security’s redesign of the new badge will be made of fused plastic material and contain a combination of high level security elements such as holographic features, specialist security print and  a digital photograph.

The capital costs of the service are met through investment from Northgate and Payne Security. These will be recouped over the lifetime of the contract through a charge per badge to local authorities. Local authorities are also given the opportunity to opt for a fully managed Blue Badge Service operated by Northgate.

Simon Jarvis, Sales Director for Document and Identity Solutions at Payne Security comments: “Payne Security is committed to developing tailored, innovative solutions that enable our customers to keep ahead of industry challenges such as document fraud. We are absolutely delighted to have been selected to work with Northgate as the supplier of choice for the national Blue Badge Improvement Service and believe it reflects our position as one of the leading suppliers of document security solutions.”