Sittingbourne Blue Badge Holders Demand Answers Over Parking Fines

Blue Badge Parking Dispute Escalates After Sittingbourne Pharmacy Fines

Sittingbourne Blue Badge Holders Demand Answers After Parking Fines at Pharmacy Blue Badge holders in Sittingbourne are continuing to seek answers after motorists were issued private parking charges while stopping near a pharmacy to collect prescriptions. The dispute centres on the entrance to the London Road industrial estate, where customers of Kamsons Pharmacy had traditionally parked on double yellow lines when visiting the pharmacy. Several motorists received charges from private parking company One Parking Solution between July and November last year. One of those affected is 92-year-old Blue Badge holder Ronald Dimond, who received a parking charge dated October 4, 2025 and says his appeal remained unanswered for almost a year. The International Parking Community, which represents private parking operators, has now acknowledged that an appeal left unanswered for such a long period while debt recovery continued was not acceptable. The organisation said its compliance team had reviewed individual cases raised with it and that some parking charges involving Blue Badge holders had been cancelled. The IPC also said it had reviewed signage at the site and carried out site audits. It concluded that the enforcement did not breach its Code of Practice at the time of its review. However, enforcement on the access road has since stopped at the request of the landowner, and the signs have been removed. The issue has also involved other motorists. Sittingbourne mother Zoe Adams said she received a charge while collecting medication for her daughter, who has a Blue Badge. Adams said her appeal was rejected and that she eventually paid the charge because of the circumstances surrounding her daughter's treatment. The case has attracted attention because Blue Badge concessions on public roads are different from arrangements on private land. Government guidance says Blue Badge holders in England can generally park on single or double yellow lines for up to three hours, provided the relevant conditions are met and there is no loading restriction. However, the concessions do not automatically apply to off-street private car parks or private roads. The supplied report says Swale Council confirmed that the London Road Trading Estate entrance is not a public highway and that the yellow lines were installed by the landowner. That distinction is important for drivers because seeing double yellow lines does not, by itself, establish that the normal public-road Blue Badge concession applies on private land. The case also highlights the importance of checking signs and parking terms before leaving a vehicle on privately controlled land, particularly where enforcement arrangements have recently changed. EveryonesParking can help drivers plan parking before travelling and identify suitable parking options, reducing the need to rely on unfamiliar or restricted areas when visiting local services. The IPC has agreed to meet Sittingbourne MP Kevin McKenna and KentOnline to discuss the history of parking at the industrial estate, while the status of individual appeals continues to be addressed.