The badge increase is illegal

The price of a blue badge for a car in Plymouth has gone up from �2 to �15.

The bright blue badges allow holders to park on double yellow lines, in supermarket disabled bays and for free in pay-and-display car parks

The Department for Transport (DoT) says the increased charge is illegal - and now Plymouth City Council has promised to reconsider it.

The DoT said in a statement: "The fee, if any, which a local authority may charge for the issue of a disabled person's badge is a fee that must not exceed �2."

If you cannot lawfully do something it does not justify what the reasons are for putting the charge up Douglas Campbell

Douglas Campbell of the Disabled Drivers' Association, said: "It's just unbelievable.

"The �2 has been fixed for many years, but to just go ahead unilaterally and raise the charge defies belief.

The council said in a statement: "This increase was agreed under the previous Conservative administration as part of a move to help cover the costs of administering the scheme.

"It was the first rise in 10 years.

"It is one of a range of decisions that will be looked at by the new administration to see whether it needs to be reviewed."

Mr Campbell accepted that charges for other council services had risen.

But he said: "This is a separate issue. If you cannot lawfully do something, it does not justify what the reasons are for putting the charge up."