Blue Badge Renewal Delays - Hertfordshire

unluckychappie

The elapse time between renewal application received and issuing Blue Badge has increased from two weeks, three years ago, to six weeks and counting now. The staff have a huge backlog and I suspect funding has been reduced.

Worth checking the lead time with your Local Authority and applying early.

Hopefully the proposed online service for renewals should speed up the process when introduced next year.

I have been advised that using an expired BB, even when an application is 'in the post' will incure parking fines and so on.

baccyman

i had to renew mine last year and i had not heard anything from them and phoned them up and my blue badge arrived a few days later just before my old one ran out, i live in Stevenage and the blue badge office has been moved from Hodderston to Stevenage, not sure they know how to deal with things since the move.

kingfisherblue

I must be lucky - in St. Helens, it takes less than a week. If you haven't renewed on time, they can do it on the spot for you (my son had been ill a couple of years ago, and I totally forgot until after the date expired - the staff were very understanding when I rang. They asked me to come in the same afternoon and they issued a new badge within fifteen minutes).

descartesmum

I applied for a renewal the beginning of March and haven't heard a thing so I've just emailed them. I'm going to Hatfield House Living Craft Fair on Saturday and need it.

Zziggi

It's 8-12 weeks here but they won't let you put in an application form unless it's less than 4 weeks before your old badge expires. As I pointed out to them that means I will be housebound for a minimum of 4 weeks just down to them. They said, what amounted to, tough.

shykins

no better in essex. i applied beginning of march as it expired at the end of april and it arrived........ yesterday!!

luckily i didnt need it for the 2 weeks it was out of date.

how long can it take to reprint a renewal badge for goodness sake

judexx

Zziggi wrote: »

It's 8-12 weeks here but they won't let you put in an application form unless it's less than 4 weeks before your old badge expires. As I pointed out to them that means I will be housebound for a minimum of 4 weeks just down to them. They said, what amounted to, tough.

That is really bad - had you thought about taking it up with your local councillor ? It really is unacceptable not to let you apply early enough.