DISABLED drivers are to be charged to park in all Waverley car parks unless they can prove they are receiving income-related benefits.

Charging for Blue Badge holders was agreed as part of Waverley Borough Council’s annual budget setting process at full council on February 21 and came into effect from Monday.

Disabled drivers will only be able to avoid charges if they are on income related benefits, in which case they are encouraged to apply for a free Waverley Disabled Parking Permit.

A spokesman for the council said: “The possession of a Blue Badge is a recognition of a physical disability and Waverley makes provision to assist those with physical disabilities by providing disabled parking bays convenient to locations people wish to go to and provide extra space to enable them to get in and out of their vehicles.

“Free car parking will continue to be available for drivers with a disability who are on income related benefits, they will need to apply for one of our new permits display the permit in the front windscreen alongside their Blue Badge.

“The aim is to provide free parking for those who need it most.”

The changes are expected to generate £75,000 extra income for the council per annum, and come as part of Waverley’s attempts to replace reductions to its central Government funding.

However, the move has already courted controversy, and in a letter to this week’s Herald, Hindhead resident Jeremy Barnes condemned the council for “placing a further obstacle in the path of disabled people”.

Mr Barnes continued: “This will generate an insignificant percentage of Waverley’s last annual income, cost a fortune to run and police, make life even more complicated for disabled people, deter disabled people from outside Waverley visiting, create dismay, anger and alienation among already besieged vulnerable people and demonstrate to the world that Waverley’s penny-pinching ethos is at odds with its average wealth.

“Worse, if the idea spreads and hard pressed councils implement the scheme nationwide, Waverley will go down in history as the vicious face of modern local government.”

The Blue Badge scheme, which was introduced in the early 1970s, operates throughout the UK and was designed to allow disabled drivers and passengers to park close to their destination.

However, the badge is intended for on-street parking only with off-street car parks, such as those provided by Waverley, governed by separate rules.