Overview

• Disabled Motoring UK will run its Baywatch campaign from July 21 to August 15, collecting survey reports on parking bay misuse at Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons, Aldi and Lidl.
• The charity warns that 52 Blue Badge holders now compete for each designated space and that 40% of disabled drivers have been forced to leave car parks due to a lack of accessible bays.
• Baywatch seeks to highlight widespread Blue Badge abuse and press private car park operators for consistent monitoring and enforcement in supermarket car parks.
• A coalition of disability organisations, including Disability Rights UK, Transport for All and Phab, is supporting the campaign to amplify disabled motorists’ evidence and policy demands.
• DMUK cautions that forthcoming Department for Work and Pensions reforms could intensify parking access problems unless supermarkets and parking operators strengthen enforcement and accessibility measures.