Blue badge holders will be charged for parking from the start of the new financial year.

It was decided by Pembrokeshire County Council in 2002 that car parking charges would apply to all drivers, including disabled badge holders.

During the last eight years steps have been taken to increase the number of disabled spaces to 6% of available space and ensure that ticket machines were made accessible, delaying the introduction of universal charging.

A council spokesman said the change was further delayed by the recent car parking review.

He added: “The machines have now been adapted and extra space created in all county council-owned car parks so disabled badge holders will be required to pay when charges are introduced.

“This will be from April 1st this year. Disabled badge holders, however, will get an extra hour free time for their ticket.”

The increase in spaces means some places will have disabled spaces for the first time, such as Robert Street in Milford Haven.

Signs will be displayed from March and a council presence in car parks will remind people of the changes.

Access officer Alan Hunt said that disabled parking charges has been discussed by the Pembrokeshire Access Group on previous occasions.

“Our first stance was we would prefer for things to remain as it was but the group has accepted the council’s decision providing there is extra time, more spaces and machines are accessible.

“At the last Access Group meeting it was pointed out that there should be extra signage initially to warn people that charging is in place and I believe this has been implemented,” said Mr Hunt.