A DISABLED couple are angry at Kirklees Council's plans to get rid of free disabled spaces at Queensgate multi-storey car park.
Bill Pollard, 74, of Holmfirth, has multiple sclerosis and finds walking distances difficult.
His wife Una, 72, had a major bowel operation in 1971, leaving her in constant pain and unable to walk long distances. Both are retired.
The couple say plans to remove free spaces from the car park in April would make their weekly shop in Huddersfield very difficult.
Mr Pollard says he and his wife would be forced to use fee-paying spaces, which would eat into their pension.
Mr Pollard, a retired grocer, said: "We come to Huddersfield every week to do our shopping. We won't be able to park for free and it's very expensive to park elsewhere. There's street parking, but there are not many spaces.
"There are tons of people miles worse off than me. There will be thousands of people staggered by this.
"The alternative is street parking. There's some near the Town Hall, but there's very little and you're talking big bucks for low income people."
A spokesperson for Kirklees Highways said: "Free disabled parking cannot be operated in the new pay-on-foot system to be introduced at Queensgate multi-storey in April."
The system will allow people to pay as they return to their cars.
The highways spokesman said: "Disabled drivers will continue to be able to make use of 3,500 other spaces available to them in the pay and display car parks in Huddersfield (some with a time limit) and this figure doesn't include all-day free on-street parking in any space and in designated bays.
"The new pay-on-foot car park will have no maximum stay. The pay station charges for the time used and the exit barrier will not lift until it has been paid."
