Blue Badge eligibility criteria must be reviewed, says Dwyfor Meirionnydd MS Mabon ap Gwynfor who claims that a local constituent is being denied essential support despite living with serious illness.

Mr ap Gwynfor highlighted the case to Welsh Government in the Senedd, where he called for a comprehensive update of Blue Badge eligibility, with clarity on how the system will be improved to better reflect real‑world medical needs.

Recent UK‑wide accessibility data highlights the scale of demand for accessible parking, with Wales facing significant pressure on its Blue Badge infrastructure.

Figures show that Wales has 274,280 Blue Badge holders, but only 2,588 designated Blue Badge parking spaces are available across the country.

Speaking in the Senedd on Tuesday, 17 March, Mr ap Gwynfor MS said: “I have a constituent in Dwyfor Meirionnydd who is suffering prostate cancer, and, therefore, can't walk long distances.

“It would do a world of good for him to be able to park close to shops so that he can live his life more conveniently.

“But he can't get a blue badge at the moment because of the rules in place that are in the Welsh Government’s hands.

“We need an update on the right for people to have blue badges so that we can fight the case of this gentleman and others who are in a similar situation.

“These rules are failing people who clearly need this support.

“His case is not unique - there are others across Wales living with serious conditions who are being left behind by a system that should be helping them.

“My constituent and many others in similar situations deserve a fair assessment process that recognises the impact of conditions such as cancer on mobility.

“I am asking the government to act so that we can fight the case of this gentleman and all those who depend on this lifeline to maintain their quality of life.”

Jane Hutt MS is the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip. Responding to Mr ap Gwynfor’s question, she said “a dedicated expert” is looking at the Blue Badge system, “working with councils and the WLGA to explore ways to streamline processes, improve data sharing, and reduce the administrative burden for applicants like your constituent”.

“This is hopefully helpful information,” she added.

“And, just to say, local authorities have been encouraged to use the not-for-reassessment route, where only proof of identity and address are required, when local authorities are satisfied that applicants will permanently meet the eligibility criteria.

“Much work has been done to look at this in terms of the blue badge work group meeting last week, which my officials held, and also training sessions for local authority staff to address this, to ensure that we can reduce the waits in terms of applications, and also say that we look at this in terms of eligibility and enforcement.”