Electric car owners claim they are being ripped off by Perth Council chiefs.
Motorists say that they are being forced to pay to access free power points at the city’s South Inch car park.
Local councillor Peter Barrett said the set-up means Perth and Kinross Council is the only local authority in Scotland which applies parking charges to electric vehicle (EV) users in municipal car parks.
He has demanded that the system is immediately revised and arrangements are made to allow free access to South Inch’s charging facilities.
The council said there were other sites in and around the city which offered free access, including the park-and-ride site at Broxden.
A spokeswoman also revealed plans to create a network of more than 100 charging points across the region.
Mr Barrett, who said he had received complaints from EV users, said the South Inch payment system followed an “ill-considered decision” by council leaders.
He said: “On the one hand, the council is supposed to be encouraging greater use of non-polluting vehicles and supporting de-carbonisation of transport.
“But on the other hand, the council is putting up barriers in EV users’ faces.”
“To add insult to injury, the charging points are supposed to be free to electric vehicle users and are advertised as such on a variety of electric vehicle websites.”
Mr Barrett added: “Forcing EV drivers to pay is just going to shunt users to the already congested Broxden park-and-ride.
“Blue badge holders are permitted to use South Inch without charge.
“The same service should be provided to EV users with immediate effect.”
A council spokeswoman said: “Drivers of electric vehicles are not being charged to use the EV charging points at South Inch, they are being charged for using the car park to park their car.
“The new pay-on-foot parking structure was introduced at the car park following a demand from the public for a more flexible parking service in the city.”
She added that drivers can park for 15 minutes without paying and the site’s two rapid power points can usually charge vehicles in less than 20 minutes.
“The council aims to create a high density public charging point network of 115 points across Perth and Kinross.”
jabuchan@thecourier.co.uk