A DISABLED driver from Abbots Langley has received an apology from Hertfordshire County Council after he waited more than two months to receive a blue parking badge.

John Salisbury, 43, from Hamilton Road, suffers from multiple sclerosis - a disease that affects the central nervous system, causing muscle weakness, co-ordination problems and fatigue.

As a result, John must use a stick to walk around and always uses the blue disabled parking bays when he goes out to minimise the distance he has to walk from his car to the shops.

He applied for a new badge in June and has only just received it - a delay of more than two months which the county council has blamed on "a high level of applications."

John, a former journalist and father of three, said: "It did take forever for them to do it. I do think they need to devote enough resources to get it done. Other people would not be able to cope."

He was also angry with the council for telling him he would be fined if he parked in a disabled bay while he was waiting for his badge to be renewed.

A representative from Hertfordshire County Council apologised for the delay in sending out John's parking badge and said: "There have been minor delays in sending out blue badges, due to a high level of applications.

"The team has now been given extra resources to help deal with these demands and we hope that response times will return to normal as soon as possible.

"Blue badges are usually sent within four weeks of receiving the application, although new applicants or renewals are asked to allow six to eight weeks for the application to be processed."