OAP in 'state of panic' over Blue Badge and £1,000 fine warning

An elderly man said he feels 'in a state of panic' at the the thought of applying for a Blue Badge parking permit.

Ralph James, 70, lives on Gardner Avenue in Bootle and has long-standing and painful disabilities which impact his mobility. Ralph relies on the Blue Badge parking permit to get around and visit places which would otherwise be inaccessible to him.

However, local authorities across England are reporting delays in approving and renewing applications leading to some people having to use expired badges which leave them exposed to prosecution.

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For Ralph, the administrative delays in Blue Badge applications is cause for genuine concern. He said: "The process puts you into a state of panic and I just feel completely and utterly helpless and despondent.

"I know the consequences of not having a valid badge and I also know it's down to a defunct admin process. It's possible these delays could end up criminalising disabled people like me.

"Blue Badges were created to help people live a full life despite having a disability. It's disgusting that people should be put in a potentially criminal situation through no fault of their own."

The Blue Badge scheme is designed to help people with disabilities or health conditions access designated parking areas and give exemptions to standard parking restrictions. The rules for eligibility and applications are set nationally, but the administrative process is managed by local authorities such as Sefton Council. The badges cost £10 in England and usually last up to three years, at which point you need to reapply before the current one expires.

It is illegal to use an expired badge and failing to renew the Blue Badge in time could lead to a £1,000 fine for misuse.

The Department of Transport guidance says: “It is a criminal offence for you or anyone else to misuse the badge. Doing so could lead to a £1,000 fine and confiscation of the badge.” One of the examples cited is persons using the badge if it is expired. According to Ralph, the threat of prosecution and the inconvenience of waiting for a delayed renewal mean badge holders are subject to an 'unnecessary ordeal'.

Another stated offence is displaying a badge so that the details on the front cannot be read. This is also a cause for frustration as Ralph remembers a time when he was almost fined after he failed to 'fully display' his badge (although it was on the dashboard). Although, Ralph accepts some degree of probity is needed, he believes the legislation around Blue Badges is too punitive and 'incredibly insensitive'.

This sentiment is shared by Mr Ferguson who points to examples where the process lacks discretion and understanding. He said: "I know of people across the country who have applied in writing and had their applications refused due to a minor error. The application is not only refused but the applicant is then put to the back of the queue."

Mr Ferguson is a Sefton resident and lives in Litherland. He is the main carer for his disabled daughter and has applied for a Blue Badge from the local authority.

There are various ways to apply - including a 14 week online process - but for those less comfortable with technology, applications can be made in writing. This was the option Mr Ferguson opted for but was told it would mean a significant delay. He said: "When I told the customer service rep I would be submitting my application in writing, I was informed they have a backlog of mailed-in applications going back to March.

"This is supposed be a service for vulnerable people and to make things easier so, why should we have to suffer because of these barriers. It's causing a lot of stress on top of all our other worries."

In terms of Blue Badge holders travelling outside their local authority area, the admin delays can have serious implications.

Mr Ferguson regularly visits Aintree Hospital which is outside the borough of Sefton so would have to park his car without the protection of the Blue Badge. Furthermore, enforcement officers can be unaware of delays within a local authority and consequently, less likely to use their discretion when deciding on whether to administer a fine. Mr Ferguson said: "I would use the badge outside the Sefton boundary limits to attend hospital appointments.

"The only option is to pay for an inconvenient parking spot and this is a hefty cost to me as I am on benefits - trying to make do, pay bills and feed my children.

"I really hope the process can be simplified and sped up as the current set up is really impacting on our lives."

A spokesperson for Sefton Council said: “We have seen a significant increase in applications in the last few years and currently receive more than 600 applications every month.

“We recommend that all renewal applications are made at least 12 weeks prior to the expiry date of the badge to allow for these applications to be processed in time.

“This recommendation has been widely published on the Sefton Council website since August 2022 and further notifications have been shared via the council’s corporate communication channels.

The council added: “It can take to 42 days to assess Blue Badge applications made under the automatic criteria. This is reliant on correct submission of all required evidence, photograph and fees.

“If an application is considered subject to further assessment then this may take an extended period of time to process due to the nature of assessment required.”

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