Every driver with Blue Badge must act in 12 weeks or face one big problem
Councils will process Blue Badge applications - with a decision on whether or not they will grant them to individuals due in 12 weeks.
Motorists who own a Blue Badge are being put on alert as authorities announce a "crackdown" with a stern warning to ensure their permits are renewed within the next 12 weeks.
The Blue Badge, typically valid for a three-year period, requires holders to apply for renewal before expiry. Those applying or renewing must now brace for a 12-week wait as councils process applications.
Deputy leader of Sandwell Council, Paul Moore, spoke out about the issue to BirminghamLive, saying: "Blue Badge fraud impacts the most vulnerable members of the public with disabilities or mobility issues.
"When a badge is misused this can result in disabled people being unable to find suitable parking, leading to missed appointments, an unwillingness to go out and ultimately, isolation from our community."
Paul Moore also urged individuals to report any suspected misuse of a Blue Badge to their local council, assuring that "swift action will be taken". The Blue Badge scheme provides a crucial service for those with enduring and substantial disabilities.
It allows them to park nearer to various destinations such as shopping centres, medical facilities, and other key locations throughout the UK.
The Blue Badge scheme is specifically designed for individuals who struggle with walking or experience significant distress while doing so. It also caters to those who could be at risk of serious harm when walking, or pose a risk of serious harm to others, reports the Mirror.
The scheme includes drivers with severe upper limb disabilities, who cannot turn the steering wheel, and passengers registered as blind. People with temporary or occasional difficulties, such as a broken leg, are not eligible.
In England, Blue Badges cost £10 and in Scotland, they cost £20, with a validity period of three years. There is no charge for a Blue Badge in Wales.
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The processing time for new applications or renewals is not fixed, but it can take approximately 12 weeks. Local councils handle Blue Badge applications and set the price - they can provide an estimate of how long the process might take.
Although the Blue Badge scheme can be used abroad, negotiations are ongoing since Brexit about which EU countries will continue to accept them.
