Harlow MP writes to leader of Essex County Council over Blue Badge delays
Chris Vince / Wed 14th Aug 2024 at 07:08am
HARLOW MP Chris Vince has written to the leader of Essex County Council over delays suffered by local residents over blue badge applications.
The letter is below.
Jennifer Steadman
2024-08-14 07:32:35
My elderly Mothers blue badge took months to be processed after we'd had the initial phone call. Then I e-mailed in all of the evidence required, but weeks later it was requested again. In all the whole process took almost 6 months! I thoroughly endorse Chris's intervention into these delays.
Lee Dangerfield
2024-08-14 08:33:54
My mum waited so long for her blue badge application to be dealt with she passed away without receiving it.
JR
2024-08-14 09:11:31
Blue badges for people who need them & have evidence of this means a great deal to them in their life to be able to carry on being independent. If badges are delayed it impacts their life. If we don't receive our blue badges or renewals & carry on parking with our old badges we are in the wrong & could be fined up to £1,000 . Now here is where it absolutely makes me so very angry, there are people out there that are CONTINUING using parking bays that don't have a badge or need one. They get out theirs cars pretending they have back issues then when they think your not looking walk off normally. There is a woman who is continuing to use a bay & thinks it's her's & her's only which her husband's applied for before he died almost a year ago. She never displays a badge in her window screen . There are people who truly need these bays which is why they have their blue badges. People who don't have or NEED blue badge SHOULD NOT park in these spaces. So please you people out there pretending to need to park in disabled parking spaces need to STOP doing so. We DO NOT apply for blue badges because we are lazy.
David Forman
2024-08-14 09:21:10
A good intervention by Chris Vince. Clearly, Essex County'a 12 week delay in issuing a Blue Badge is shameful.
Whatever
2024-08-14 09:23:49
Sir. I have been in contact regularly with the Essex Blue Badge operators to repair and re-line markings for a dis-abled parking spaces for many months. At the time of writing I haven't had a reply or response from anybody ! We are very close to schools, and on occasions that I have requested that the vehicle be moved elsewhere to free up the Disabled Parking bay I have been threatened with violence and absolutely foul language. Perhaps now that we have a change in our MP he may intervene on behalf of Harlow's disabled motorists.
View from Afar
2024-08-14 09:45:45
My wife waited 19 weeks for her blue badge, she applied in good time, it ran out on 26th June and only arrived this week. Trouble with the system is that they might enter status on line but unless you are checking regularly you won’t pick up this if there’s a problem or they need additional information. They really need to email people if they need more information. If you email them they only look at the emails in date of receipt order and it’s almost impossible to speak to them on the phone.
Anne Bines
2024-08-14 19:05:40
It's about time there were different coloured badges for disabled drivers & passenger. Unfortunately the use gets abused.
Whatever
2024-08-15 06:04:43
Sir, just a passing thought, why doesn't Essex Blue badge team register and authorise a squad of officers to check visually, as wardens do, that the vehicle displaying the Blue badge is authorised and registered by ECC ?
View from a disabled person
2024-08-15 12:27:28
Blue badges are being handed out way too easily these days – I’m sorry if that offends anyone, but it feels like we've forgotten that the crucial part of these spaces is because of the wider space they provide, not just the convenience of parking closer to the entrance. I know multiple people who have a blue badge and, while they are technically eligible, they don’t really need it in the same way others do. As a wheelchair user, if I can’t park in a disabled space, I simply can’t park at all. But there are many people who, if they can't get a blue badge space, could still park in a regular space without much issue. It seems like some people think the most important thing is being closer to the store, but in reality, the most important part is having the extra space to safely get in and out of the car. Just the other week, I went to Tesco at 10pm, thinking it would be quiet, but there were nine cars parked in the blue badge spaces. And as far as I could tell, everyone in the store was able-bodied. It’s becoming so frequent that there are times I can’t even go into town because the spaces are always taken. It’s frustrating and feels unfair when those of us who really need those spaces can't access them.
Driver
2024-08-15 17:37:01
To the comment above. If the person has a blue badge they have had to prove to the authorities without a doubt that they are entitled to the badge. They went through the same labourious process that you went through. Apparently you think this process is far too easy. I don't know what authorities you are used to dealing with but it is anything but easy. The saying goes as follows "not all disabilities are visable" Yes you did offend me and i 100% know you are not sorry.
Imelda Jane Liddle
2024-08-16 00:44:38
I think it's disgusting for having to wait for my blue badge I've got to wait 5 -to 8 weeks I need my blue badge because I can't walk very far without getting badly out of breath and plus I need my blue badge because I'm at my doctors every day for my legs needs to be redressed every day and I've also got blood clots on both sides of my lungs and get more out of breath through this as well this is why I need my blue badge as soon as possible please
Carolyn Weeks
2024-11-13 11:12:22
I have Motor Neurone Disease. My application was sent 23.08.2024. I have no voice and am a wheelchair user. I have tried to contact Essex County Council, but only response I could get was an automated Email. The system to check your application is not fit for purpose or constantly buffers, I attend Papworth Hospital where parking fees are over £10 a time. My nearest MND clinic is in Cambridge. No Blue Badge and over 12 weeks waiting, disappointed, an understatement.
Leave a Comment Below:
12 Comments for Harlow MP writes to leader of Essex County Council over Blue Badge delays: