Every MP in Kent has backed KentOnline’s campaign to change the Blue Badge system.

Another 15 MPs have joined Helen Grant, Tris Osborne and Mike Martin in signing a letter which will be sent to the newly elected leader of Kent County Council (KCC), Linden Kemkaran today.

The letter calls for a temporary parking concession for patients living with cancer and other life-altering conditions, who do not currently meet the three-year eligibility criteria for a Blue Badge and is also supported by the Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, Gareth Bacon and the Chair of the Transport Select Committee, Ruth Cadbury.

It comes after KentOnline highlighted the plight of cancer sufferers Martin White and Sandy Burr, who were denied badges because KCC said it was unable to determine their conditions would endure for that time period.

This is in spite of the fact that many cancer patients face debilitating physical effects, such as fatigue, pain, breathlessness, or the aftermath of surgery, that severely limit their mobility, even if temporarily.

In some cases, patients are recovering from operations or coping with side effects like blood clots and amputations.

These impairments may not last three years but can still significantly reduce quality of life and access to essential services during treatment and recovery.

Now, with the support of the county’s MPs, along with the Shadow Secretary of State for Transport and the Chair of the Transport Select Committee, a letter has been sent to KCC, urging them to lead by example and establish a fair and compassionate local policy that provides Blue-Badge style support for residents with cancer or other serious, but time-limited conditions.

It is hoped a local scheme could deliver critical support quickly to some of the county’s most vulnerable constituents.

In addition, those behind the campaign are calling on the national government to bring forward secondary legislation that would help patients across the UK.

Such a badge would be of great relief for Kate Farrow from Snodland, who has severe osteoarthritis in her right hip which significantly impairs her mobility and has been told she needs a hip replacement.

The 51-year-old applied for a Blue Badge in November 2023 but was refused in May 2024 after being told they could not anticipate she would need the permit for the duration of the badge.

She said: “My mobility is now very bad and I walk with a stick all of the time.

“I can’t realistically walk more than 50 metres without it severely impacting on fatigue and pain.

“The further I walk the longer rest I have to have before I get back to some sort of normal.

“It takes me about 20 minutes to walk 300 metres.”

The mum-of-two, who works as an occupational therapist, says her mobility issues are impacting her children as she has to consider how accessible goods and services will be for her and how close she will be able to park.

She is now awaiting the outcome of a Personal Independence Payment review, which if she scores eight points or more under the ‘moving around’ mobility component, will mean she will automatically qualify for a badge.

She added: “If I had a Blue Badge, I would be able to do small amounts of shopping myself instead of getting delivery, as I would be able to park closer to the supermarket, so I wouldn’t exhaust myself before I go in there.

“My daughters’ activities are limited so much because of my own disability, which is really unfair on them because they miss out on stuff.”

A Kent County Council spokesperson said: “Applications for Blue Badges continue to rise in Kent. Last year alone the council received almost 44,000 – a record number.

”KCC must be equitable in approving applications and must assess everyone against the strict mobility focused criteria provided by the Department for Transport (DfT).

“Some residents, in receipt of certain disability benefits, automatically qualify. The remainder are individually assessed for a discretionary Blue Badge against the Department for Transport criteria, one of which states that a disability or condition affecting mobility must be ongoing for 3 years to qualify.

“We advise applicants to provide as much information about their condition as possible in order for a fully informed decision to be made.

“We understand that the council’s decision is disappointing. If an applicant is unhappy with the council’s decision, we advise them to undertake the appeal process where they can provide more information and will be further assessed.”

KentOnline launched the campaign on March 26 calling for changes to the eligibility criteria and three-year validity rule.

On May 15, Shadow Transport Secretary Gareth Bacon backed the initiative following a meeting at Westminster with Kent MPs, Helen Grant (Con) and Tristan Osborne (Lab), who were joined by cancer patient Sandy Burr, and Bev Evans, a mum with a life-changing injury.

It has since been raised in parliament by Tris Osborne during business questions in the House of Commons.