Anger at disabled paying for parking

Council bosses said they have introduced charges in car parks because an average of 25 per cent of all spaces are used by blue badge holders - costing 150,000 a year to subsidise.

But opposition Labour councillors on the Liberal Democrat-controlled authority claim bosses are unfairly taking money from disabled people to help balance its books.

Chesterfield Labour Party spokesman Scott Lomax said: "It is outrageous that Chesterfield Council is for the first time ever charging disabled people to park in its town centre car parks.

"Asking Blue Badge holders to pay in order to help prevent what could conceivably become financial meltdown is simply shocking."

Disabled motorists are asked to pay for their first hour of parking then get three further hours free of charge.

A Chesterfield Council spokesman said: "The council feels that all people who use a service should contribute to the costs of that service, although we recognise that people with blue badges may take longer to get around town than other people.

"This contribution to the cost of providing the service should hopefully mean that people in genuine hardship, who do not hold blue badges, will not have to pay more for their parking than necessary.

Free Sunday parking - which cost 35,000 a year to subsidise - has also been axed, with motorists now having to pay a flat 1 fee to use town centre car parks.