Plans to begin charging exempted Blue Badge holders for parking in Ceredigion are “unacceptable.”
Members of the council’s Thriving Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 11 July heard that Ceredigion council wants to begin charging Blue Badge holders who hold an exemption.
A council report said: “Currently free parking is afforded only to Blue Badge Holders in vehicles that pay no Vehicle Excise Duty due to specific criteria that entitle them to an exemption by virtue of disability.
“All other Blue Badge Holders are required to pay to park.
.jpg?width=209&height=140&crop=209:145,smart&quality=75)
.jpg?width=209&height=140&crop=209:145,smart&quality=75)
“The number of customers that this exemption applies to is small, and it can be difficult to communicate to customers who is and isn’t eligible.
“It is proposed that the charges apply to all Blue Badge holders irrespective of the Vehicle Excise Duty and that all Blue Badge holders will receive one additional hour of free parking on top of the period paid for.”
Penparcau councillor Carl Worrall told members: “Charging for people with blue badges is, for me, unacceptable.
“Some of the people who have blue badges are on the breadline and they have a blue badge for a reason.”
The committee recommended that Cabinet consider scrapping all blue badge charges.