Llyr Gruffydd MS Member of the Senedd for North Wales

Llyr Gruffydd called the current system ‘unfair’ and ‘unworkable’ for many people with disabilities and has called on the Welsh Government to issue a statement outlining a plan to overhaul the system.

In a statement in the Senedd this week Llyr Gruffydd, the regional Senedd Member for north Wales said-

“The current system forces individuals to reapply for their blue badges every three years, and that is causing concern for many. There's a high percentage of blue-badge users that have long-term or lifelong conditions, yet they still have to apply every three years for their new badges.

“Why is it that a passport or driving licence only needs to be renewed every 10 years, yet a disability blue badge needs renewing every three years? It simply isn’t fair.  There’s a further issue with the complexity of the forms that need to be filled out, and accessibility issues for applicants to obtain the passport photos needed from photobooths”

Concerns have been raised by hundreds of members of the disability rights community in North Wales with over 1600 supporters signing a petition calling on the Government to overhaul the process.  North Wales based charity Stand North Wales said

“This process can be very frustrating, and time consuming for both individuals and their caregivers and focus heavily on the negative aspects of an individual’s abilities”

Llyr Gruffydd went on to add-

“Surely, if you have a lifelong condition, then you should be able to get a lifelong blue badge.”