ELDERLY drivers are set to be denied preferential parking spaces in Basildon.

The council is considering a brown badge scheme, which runs similar to the blue badge scheme for the disabled but for the elderly instead.

The council first began looking into it in July but officers claim the blue badge scheme already supports people with limited mobility.

In a report, to be put forward to the leisure, culture and environment committee this week officers claim it “does not assist residents based upon anything other than age” and does not provide “targeted assistance to those in need”.

The report goes on to explain that the scheme would only be able to be implemented in a limited number of council-owned car parks, while designated Blue Badge bays are provided within all car parks with free parking for the first three hours.

Council officers have recommend that councillors reject the proposal but say a new traffic regulation order for blue badge parking bays in council car parks should go ahead.

This would enable the council to punish those who flout blue badge rules and park in the designated spaces without the right to do so.

If approved, this would see an order in place from April 2020 and mean that if a motorist without a valid blue badge parks in a designated bay they will have to pay a fine of up to £1,000. Later this year, the blue badge scheme is expected to be updated to allow people with less physical disabilities to apply.

This will include people with ADHD, anxiety, depression, bipolar, autism, epilepsy and agoraphobia.

However the fear is the new rules could lead to disputes over rights for the limited spaces available.

The Leisure, Culture and Environment Committee will discuss the measures during a meeting on Wednesday.