THE Green Party in Clacks have called for an end to blue badge parking scheme fees, describing it as a "tax on people living with disabilities".

Campaigners in the Wee County are launching a petition this week in the hopes of having the £20 cost revoked.

Bryan Quinn, a campaigner for the Greens, said he discussed the scheme with a disabled family member who drew his attention to the charge.

He said: "I first became aware of the fact there was a fee to pay when talking to my sister, who suffers from MS, and it sounded incredibly unfair.

“The blue badge fee is a tax on people living with disabilities. Car parking is free in Alloa but if you require a blue badge there is a £20 fee to pay.

“Life with a disability is hard enough without having to stump up the £20 fee every few years to cover the costs of a blue badge.

"Many people with disabilities rely on their cars and are on PIP [personal independence payment] or a pension.”

The scheme was initially set up to help those with restricted mobility to lead independent lives.

Drivers who are eligible for a blue badge can park in the specially-designated spaces that are found in town centres across the country.

They are usually found in areas closest to important amenities such as chemists, post offices, doctors, and so aid disabled drivers to get in and out of the town more easily.

The scheme applies only to on-street parking, while car parks run by supermarkets, hospitals and the local authority are governed by separate law.

For all successful blue badge applications there is a administration fee of up to £20, which is at the discretion of local authorities.

In England and Northern Ireland, the maximum fee a blue badge user can be charged is £10, while in Wales it is free.

However, the Scottish Disability Equality Forum (SDEF) say that few disabled people complain about having to pay the charge itself.

The group feels that £20 is fair considering the administration required to run the scheme.

A spokesperson for the SDEF said: "As far as we are aware and our directors are of this belief, not many people complain about the charge.

"The blue badge is a lifeline for those who need it and £20 seems like nothing in comparison to the way it transforms my life."

Mr Quinn and other Green Party campaigners will be in Alloa Town Centre on Saturday at 12noon to collect signatures for their petition.