Kent Online

Blue Badge Battle

2025

KentOnline launched its inspiring new campaign – Blue Badge Battle – calling for urgent reform to the rules governing who qualifies for a Blue Badge parking permit.

The campaign was sparked by a series of stories highlighting how cancer patients and others with life-altering conditions have been denied access to the scheme, despite facing serious mobility challenges. Among them is a 79-year-old man with leukaemia, a tumour and heart problems, who was refused a badge despite needing a stairlift and mobility scooter. Another local resident was turned down even after a cancer diagnosis, a toe amputation, and blood clots in her lungs that severely limited her ability to walk.

The campaign is being led by reporter Elli Hodgson, who said: “As soon as we published the first story on this issue, we knew there was a much larger problem. We were – and continue to be – inundated with messages from people who clearly need a temporary Blue Badge. We’re really proud to be fighting for our readers in this way, and we’ve been delighted that so many MPs have decided to back the campaign. Already, there is a lot going on at Westminster which we hope will have a positive effect.”

The campaign has already gained the support of three Kent MPs, including Helen Grant, MP for Maidstone and The Malling, who has herself battled cancer. She said: “I think anything we can do to help people to be mobilised and to access goods and services while they are going through these difficulties is important.”

Currently, Blue Badges are issued by Kent County Council in line with Department for Transport guidance, which requires applicants to demonstrate that their condition will affect them for at least three years. This rules out many people with temporary but severe disabilities, leaving them without the support they need during some of the most difficult periods of their lives.

KentOnline’s Blue Badge Battle is calling on Ministers to review the criteria and introduce greater flexibility for those with serious, short-term conditions. The campaign aims to ensure that compassion and common sense are at the heart of the system – and that no one is left behind.

The campaign continues to gather momentum, with every Kent MP now backing the call for urgent reform to the Blue Badge system. MPs Helen Grant, Tris Osborne, and Mike Martin have together written to Kent County Council and Medway Council, urging greater flexibility in how the rules are applied and calling on the government to legislate for temporary Blue Badges.

In response, Councillor Vince Maple, leader of Medway Council, has signalled his support and confirmed that officers are actively exploring what more can be done. He has invited the Kent County Council to join a coordinated meeting to discuss a unified approach across local authorities.

In a major step forward, Helen Grant secured a Westminster Hall debate on the issue. The campaign has also received backing from Shadow Transport Secretary Gareth Bacon, following a successful meeting with campaigners and MPs, and from Ruth Cadbury, Chair of the Transport Select Committee.

KentOnline’s Blue Badge Battle is now not only a local campaign – it is a national call for compassion and legislative change. It seeks to ensure that people facing serious health challenges are not left without the support they need simply because their condition doesn’t fit a rigid definition.

The recent Westminster Hall debate marked a significant step forward and highlighted the growing impact of Kent Online’s Blue Badge Battle campaign. What began as local reporting on a clear injustice has helped spark a national conversation. MPs from across the political spectrum shared moving accounts of how the current Blue Badge rules are failing many individuals, such as those with cancer. In response, the Under-Secretary of State for Future of Roads, Lilian Greenwood, said she is “open to the possibility of change” and will review existing guidance, including looking at temporary models such as the one used in Wales. The government has also agreed to meet with campaigners – a powerful sign of what local journalism can do for its communities.