THE potential withdrawal of free disabled parking bays outside Skipton Town Hall has been described as another blow to blue badge holders.

Craven District Council is consulting until tomorrow on the future of four disabled parking bays directly in front of 17-19 High Street.

It says it has received complaints from disabled users that the bays are unsuitable for many disabilities because of the uneven cobbles and the close proximity of the roundabout, making reversing and pulling in difficult.

Instead, it is proposing to replace the bays – directly in front of where Wildwood Restaurants plans to open a new restaurant – with four new ones at High Street Car Park.

But Wendy Witten, branch secretary of the Skipton and Craven Multiple Sclerosis Society, says not every blue badge holder is a wheelchair user, arguing they could also be partially sighted, have a terminal illness or a disabled child.

She points out wheelchair users will still have to struggle with cobbles elsewhere in the High Street and questions the other general parking spaces next to the disabled bays.

Mrs Witten said: "Is the council proposing to ban all parking in front of the town hall, or just blue badge parking?

"If not, this is blatant discrimination against disabled users."

She further points out that the High Street bays are free for three hours, while those in the High Street car park are chargeable.

She added: "As an alternative, I would suggest relocating the four parking bays further down the High Street, where the cobbles have been renovated and the gaps between them filled.

"I admit they could not be used on market days, but on the two remaining days a week they could still be used, when town is less busy and easier for disabled people to get around."

Mrs Witten argues there has already been a loss of parking for disabled people in the town centre, including a new loading bay next to Edinburgh Woollen Mill.

There are also no concessions for blue badge holders at Craven Pool and Fitness Centre car park, and in all council car parks where charging is the same for non disabled users.

Blue badge holder, Sylvia Merrett, has also objected to the removal of the bays and has called on the council to be "more creative".

She added: "What is needed, in my opinion, are more strategically-placed disabled bays on the setts on both sides, next to the pelican crossing, with a dropped kerb. Craven has a large population of elderly and disabled people, who struggle with mobility, and we need to have our day-to-day lives made much easier."

A Craven District Council spokesman said: “This is currently under consideration but is totally dependent upon the responses from a consultation exercise.”