A COUNCIL has brought motorists to their knees after lowering parking meters so it can charge disabled drivers.

Cherwell District Council spent £7,244 lowering three machines in Bicester and seven in Banbury by up to 10 and a half inches so it can charge blue badge holders from April 4.

Motorists and councillors branded the move “ridiculous” saying they now face having to kneel or squat to enter their car registration and pay the charges, which are also set to rise.

John Broad, of Langford Village, Bicester, who is 6ft 4ins tall, said: “To use that meter I have to bend in half or kneel down. All they have done it for is to gather cash from people in wheelchairs. Everyone else is suffering.”

Blue badge holder Dean Jacobi, who has arthritis and problems with his knees and back, said: “It isn’t suitable for someone with my disability.”

Lynne Wright, of Bicester Beds in Market Square, said: “We’ve watched people get on their hands and knees, squat, shake their heads and one woman got her kid to do it. Nobody is managing to use it properly.”

The Conservative-run council hopes disabled charges will net £96,000. A total of £420,000 will be raised from all measures, including higher fees and the introduction of evening parking charges.

Labour group leader Les Sibley said: “It’s a right fiasco – the car parking debacle goes on and on. All this will do is drive people out of town.”

The only meter in Bicester Market Square has been lowered. Franklins Yard and Claremont now have one lowered meter and one at the original height.

Banbury car parks affected are: Market Place, Horse Fair West, North Bar East, Calthorpe Street, The Mill and Riverside. In car parks where the meters have not been lowered, wheelchair users will have to call the council’s automated telephone system to pay to park. A 20p fee will be waived.

Council spokesman Craig Forsyth said: “The machines were chosen as they were in the most popular car parks, closest to shopping areas and with the most disabled spaces available.

“Where they have multiple machines, just one has been re-positioned. The remainder have been retained at their existing height to enable ease of access for non-disabled customers.”

Nigel Morris, council portfolio holder for community safety, street scene and rural services, said the increase in parking charges was “barely keeping up with inflation”.