DISABLED drivers have forced a U-turn on plans to slap them with parking fees after a furious backlash.
Bromley Council has binned its controversial proposal to charge Blue Badge holders for parking in council-owned spaces.
Blue Badge holders would have lost their free parking privileges under the new rules[/caption]
It comes amid widespread outrage from residents and pressure from local MPs, who had branded the plans “shameful”.
Tory Councillor Nicholas Bennett, who backed the scheme, admitted the U-turn was down to better-than-expected savings.
He told The Sun: “When this proposal was made last November, the council’s estimated budget gap was over £53m for 2026/27.
“As a result of a number of subsequent savings, we are now able to not proceed with this proposal.”
Mr Bennett had defended the parking fees at a council meeting last year, saying Blue Badge holders already pay for petrol, servicing, and tyres like anyone else, and the £1.10 to £1.60 charge was just a small addition.
Bromley Council documents from November estimated the scheme would generate an additional £50,000 for the town hall.
A final consultation on the proposal was set to take place this year.
Labour MP Liam Conlon – who led the charge against the plan – said: “It was clear that the plan to charge people Blue Badge users would not have raised the revenue Tory Bromley Council claimed but would have forced disabled people into isolation – staying at home instead of working, seeing friends and family or contributing to the local economy by visiting shops on our high street.
“Just last week Councillor Smith replied to my letter and refused to say he was cancelling the plans. Finally he has climbed down. His proposals and subsequent delay before finally u-turning has caused undue stress for disabled residents and sends all the wrong signals to people he is meant to stand up for.”
Sian Pugh, a local mum, played a key role in the U-turn, launching a petition that gained over 4,000 signatures.
Ms Pugh, whose daughter Carys suffers from a debilitating disability, had blasted the proposal as “unfair” and “injustice at its worst.”
Welcoming the U-turn, she said: “Bromley Blue Badge holders will be relieved they will not be expected to pay more than their able-bodied peers, who have the choice of walking or cycling to their destinations for free.”
She also insisted other councils should “take notice” and avoid introducing similar charges.
Some councils across England and Wales already impose charges on Blue Badge holders, creating a confusing patchwork of rules for disabled drivers.
In some areas, Blue Badge holders pay the same parking fees as able-bodied drivers, while others offer discounts or limited free time.
Dorset and Wiltshire Councils provide an extra hour on top of the ticket purchased, while Newcastle City Council offers the first hour free or a grace period – but only if you follow specific payment methods.
Other councils, like Peterborough and Norfolk, expect Blue Badge holders to pay full tariffs in car parks.
