COUNCILLORS have approved operational details for the new multi-storey car park in Darlington, including making blue disabled badge holders pay for parking.

At this week’s meeting of Darlington Borough Council’s cabinet, councillors approved a report outlining a number of recommendations for the development.

These include naming it ‘Feethams Car Park’ and ensuring that short stay charges cost the same as the majority of Darlington council-run car parks, namely £1 per hour Monday to Saturday and £1 all day on Sunday.

One recommendation that met with some opposition but was approved by members is to charge motorists with a blue disabled badge the same rate as everybody else

Motorists who use the Shopmobility service – which will have an office in the car park and offer wheelchair hire – will be exempt from parking charges.

In a letter to cabinet, Gordon Pybus, chair of Darlington Association on Disability (DAD), said that whilst he appreciated the council’s concession for Shopmobility users, he strongly objected to charging blue badge holders.

He added: “Throughout the consultation DAD has stressed that another charging system be used that can allow blue badge users to park for three hours free, the same as all Darlington Borough Council car parks.”

The cabinet report states that officers did consider ways of exempting blue badge holders from charges, but concluded that measures such as numberplate recognition cameras were not foolproof and that issuing free passes could open the system up to abuse.

Councillor Nick Wallis, transport portfolio holder, said: “There is growing abuse of some blue badges and this is going to be an issue.

“They (badge holders) are going to have to pay like everyone else and that is a growing trend, not just in the North-East but other authorities around the country as well.”

Conservative group leader Cllr Heather Scott welcomed the car park development but said the report needed to make it clearer that parking after 6pm will be free for all motorists, which will benefit visitors to the upcoming Feethams cinema and leisure complex.

Feethams Car Park is expected to be completed by January 2016 and will provide 650 new spaces for Darlington town centre.

A small proportion of spaces will be offered weekdays on a contract basis for town centre workers and there will be 33 disabled bays, four electric vehicle charging points and parking for up to eight motorbikes, whose riders will also have to pay for parking.