Disabled parking outrage

Security vans, trades vehicles, mothers with sick kids – none of them has an excuse good enough to take up mobility parks, says Palmerston North City Council environmental protection services manager Wayne Jameson.

Ever since the fine for grabbing a disabled person's park went up from $40 to $150 last year and parking wardens adopted a "zero tolerance" stand, the infringements and excuses keep on coming.

In 2007, 206 infringement notices were issued in the city.

The next year, when the changes came in, there were 252.

And so far this year, there have been 211, well on the way to exceeding last year's total.

"Those parks are not designed for the public, they are not there for people to use because they are running late for a meeting, or because they're delivering a courier parcel.

"Perhaps if the car blew up or the driver was having a heart attack, we might accept that, but we have zero tolerance, and that includes trades and security vehicles."

He said wardens would respond to reports of an unauthorised vehicle in a mobility park, but had to see the infringement before a ticket could be issued.

The council's influence doesn't extend into private carparks, so any notices issued at a supermarket could not be enforced.

Offenders could, however, be slapped with a yellow sticker provided by the Disabled Persons Assembly Palmerston North and Districts branch that says: "you have my carpark – do you want my disability as well?"

DPA co-ordinator Delysse Kennard said the city council had been great in protecting the rights of people with disabilities to find a car park, but there were still problems getting the message through.

"It will be an ongoing issue until people realise those parks are there for a purpose."

- © Fairfax NZ News