Herefordshire Council has defended its record on providing car park spaces for disabled drivers, after it was accused of skimping on these.

Disabled city resident Ellie Walker had said that of the 1,602 parking spaces in council-run car parks in the city, just 44, or 2.75 per cent, are marked as for disabled drivers, and have extra room around them for those with mobility issues.

She contrasted this with the 4.75 per cent of people in Herefordshire, numbering nearly 9,000, who are Blue Badge holders, entitling them to use disabled parking spaces.

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But a council spokesperson said these figures “do not accurately represent parking provision in Herefordshire for Blue Badge holders”.

While disabled persons’ parking spaces in its car parks “are placed in close proximity to easy access points, if these spaces are unavailable then their blue badge, appropriately displayed, can still be used in any of our available 1,602 spaces”, they said.

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The county also provides 44 on-street spaces for disabled drivers in the city’s Broad Street, Offa Street, Union Street, Gaol Street and St Owen Street, the spokesperson said.

“If these are unavailable, a Blue Badge may be used, appropriately displayed, in any street pay and display bay – at no charge,” they added.

“Blue badge holders can also park on double yellow or single yellow lines for up to three hours, where it is safe to do so; also to similarly park, also at no charge, in limited waiting bays across the city.”