CAR parking charges for disabled drivers may be introduced in Durham City.

The city council's cabinet will also consider proposals to abolish parking season tickets for people who work in the city centre.

Currently, drivers who display the blue, formerly orange, disabled badge can park for free in the five city centre car parks run by the council.

Now, councillors are being recommended to consider withdrawing the exemption, estimated to cost the authority £50,000 in parking fees each year.

A report to Monday's meeting by environmental services corporate director Neil Smith says badge holders have increased in the past 25 years.

He says that the "more generous state benefits" paid to the disabled, and mobility allowances, mean "it can probably be said that no longer is poverty inevitably associated with disability".

Surveys have shown that up to 19 per cent of users of the Milburngate car park are badge holders, the highest percentage of all the car parks.

Mr Smith says: "Misuse of disabled badges mean those not eligible to do so, park without payment in the council's car parks and, of course, elsewhere. It is commonly accepted within disabled groups that there is considerable abuse of the disabled badge scheme.''

He says that the council has to consider the needs of the disabled "but this does not have to be free of charge''.

The report says Durham City Access Group, made up of disabled people, is concerned about able-bodied people taking disabled parking bays.

One member raised no objection to charges, saying that they would remove the incentive for non-badge holders to take disabled spaces.

Season tickets, or permits, mostly bought by businesses for their employees, also face the axe.

Mr Smith says the council wants to encourage short and medium-term parking rather than long stay.

"City car parks are busy, often completely or nearly full, and in these circumstances there is no economic reason for the council to sell permits.''

However, parking permits for council staff based in the city centre will continue.

The proposals follow a District Audit review and also include looking at ways of generating money to pay for improvements to the car parks