CHANGES to Blue Badge parking rules to make them the same across the Dorset Council area have won support.

It will end the systems put in place by previous councils which resulted in totally free parking in some areas and a charge being made in others.

The new rules, which only apply in Dorset Council owned car parks, will allow up to three hours free parking for Blue Badge holders who also have a Restricted Mobility Parking Permit and one hour of additional parking to all Blue Badge holders when a valid minimum pay and display ticket is bought.

In the case of some car parks that could mean paying for a 30 minute ticket and getting 90 minutes of parking.

Over 1,500 people, 71 per cent of them blue badge holders, responded to a six-week public consultation about the proposals with the biggest vote going to the option backed on Thursday by the place and resources overview committee.

Unrestricted free parking was not offered as an option although it is in operation in some areas across the country.

Said council chairman Val Pothecary: “It seems impossible to please everybody but it really is important to align charges across the county.”

Across Dorset there are around 25,000 residents who have the nationally recognised Blue Badge.

Applications for the Restricted Mobility Parking Permit will also be open to visitors and to people living in neighbouring council area who want to park in Dorset Council owned car parks.

A charge of £15 will be made for administering each permit application, expected to be dealt with at the same time as blue badge applications, or renewals.

Councillors were told that all the authority’s car park signs would be updated to reflect the new policy when it comes into force later in the year with information added to the council website about how it will work,

The new blue badge policy is expected to coincide with a new range of general parking charges already agreed by the council which will also harmonise parking charges across the council area with three distinct charging levels,