Disabled Motoring UK (DMUK) has published the return of its Baywatch campaign. The campaign highlights the ongoing abuse of disabled parking bays and Blue Badge misuse in supermarket car parks, calling for greater operator accountability.
Across the UK, disabled people often face additional daily challenges, heightened now for many by uncertainty over their financial support. While the UK has the means to remove many accessibility barriers, private car parks often lack commitment to prioritising these improvements, says DMUK.
Baywatch invites disabled motorists, and those who travel with them, to complete a short survey each time they visit the supermarket between 21 July to 15 August 2025, providing data on issues they encounter.
The campaign focuses on six major retailers: Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons, Aldi, and Lidl. Last time the campaign ran in 2022, DMUK received over 1,000 responses.
For many disabled motorists, finding an available, properly enforced parking bay remains a persistent challenge, and disabled people feel at risk of being judged or harassed, particularly those with hidden disabilities, says DMUK.
With little evidence of enforcement, disabled motorists sometimes feel pressured to put their personal safety at risk by challenging disabled bay abuse. DMUK wants all disabled motorists to feel safe, confident, independent, and respected.
Demand is rising sharply, with 52 Blue Badge holders competing per accessible bay. There are nearly three million badge holders across the UK, including a 10 percent increase in England last year, says DMUK.
The issues reflect a wider accessibility gap across public spaces and car parks, disadvantaging millions of disabled consumers nationwide.
40 percent of customers report having been forced to leave car parks because there were no available suitable spaces. DMUK says this is very disappointing considering 36 percent reported non-badge holders occupying accessible bays, according to a Confused.com report published in June 2025. This is an increase from DMUK’s 2019 Baywatch campaign which reported 20 percent of bays were being abused.
Additionally, four in 10 disabled people said they cannot visit local shops because they are inaccessible, according to the Accessibility of products and services to disabled people report, while Confused.com reported nearly one in 10 people admit to parking in disabled bays without a permit, often due to lack of spaces, being in a rush, or “will only be a few minutes”.
Baywatch 2022 reported over 67 percent of Blue Badge holders stating that they have never had their Blue Badge officially inspected.
Considering a quarter of people have a disability in the UK, DMUK states that it should be in supermarkets’ interest to ensure they do not lose custom and loyalty from their disabled customers.
At the moment, supermarkets lose £501 million a month through lack of accessibility, according to Scope for Business. By gathering real-world data, DMUK says it can present this data to the parking operators and supermarkets showing the need for prosecution and encouraging them to change their attitudes towards abuse and misuse.
Dr Shani Dhanda, Award Winning Disability Inclusion & Accessibility Specialist, commented: “Accessible parking bays aren’t just a nice-to-have – they’re a lifeline. Without them, so many disabled people are shut out of everyday life, whether that’s getting to work, buying food, going to appointments, or just being part of their community.
“When bays are misused or not properly enforced, it sends a really clear message that our access and independence aren’t a priority. Baywatch matters because it’s not just raising awareness – it’s holding people to account and pushing for real change.”
This year’s campaign is strengthened by the support of a wide range of organisations, including Disability Rights UK, Transport for All, Independent Living, Phab, Allied Mobility, Motaclarity, Surewise, The Outdoor Guide, Euan’s Guide, AVC, Hidden Disabilities Sunflower, and the RAC.
A DMUK member stated: “I went to a supermarket, which had 25 blue badge bays, all were full, only 10 cars had badges the rest had no badges on display, the supermarket said the car park was policed by a private company. I had to try parking elsewhere, it caused problems when my wheelchair lift blocked the car park access road.”
Those who complete the survey will be entered into a prize draw to win one of two £50 M&S gift cards and are encouraged to complete the survey multiple times during the campaign.
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