Blue Badge plans announced

5 December 2011

Changes are on the way for Blue Badge holders in the New Year as Kent County Council works to implement a new government policy.

More than 40 years after they were first introduced in 1970, Blue Badges are more valuable than ever for thousands of people who have mobility problems.

However, while they have become increasingly valuable in allowing disabled people to park their cars in areas that would otherwise be off-limits, the badges have also become the focus of fraud.

Now, in an attempt to bring in better controls and stop the badges being abused, the Department for Transport has told councils to make changes to the way they are issued. More details about the changes can be found on Directgov. Eligibility criteria can also be found on the website.

As a result, the badges will only be issued following a local authority assessment and the charge for issuing them will increase from £2 to £10 from 1 January 2012. In contrast with the present system, which charges people to make an application, the £10 charge will only apply to those whose applications are successful.

KCC Cabinet member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, Graham Gibbens, said: “These changes to the way Blue Badges are issued might appear significant.

“The fact is that the cost of providing a Blue Badge has risen significantly in the last 40 years, while the charge has stayed the same. Added to this, the Department for Transport is determined to modernise the system, making Blue Badges harder to forge and the system more difficult to abuse. We are writing to all of Kent’s Blue Badge holders to explain the changes to them.

“This is only fair, as it would be quite wrong for those who do not need a Blue Badge to be taking advantage of the scheme – particularly at the expense of those who are less mobile and more vulnerable without them.

“I believe that Kent County Council is supporting disabled people by having an effective permit system, and that £10 over three years remains good value for the flexibility that the Blue Badge offers.”

Found out more on our frequently asked questions about the changes page.