GDC agrees to drop disabled park fees

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Parking meters in disabled parking spots will be removed by the Gisborne District Council following a presentation from Disability Advocates.

“This is great news for the people with disabilities in Tairawhiti,” said Rachel Lodewyk who, with Karen Tait, took the issue to the GDC operations committee in August.

Mrs Lodewyk and Mrs Tait each have disabled sons, and Mrs Tait is disabled herself.

They told the councillors parking meter payment could be a barrier for those with a disability.

Following their presentation, GDC decided that disabled carpark users who correctly display their mobility parking permits will not receive a ticket for parking if they have gone over time or if they are unable to easily access the meters, GDC democracy support services manager Heather Kohn said in an email to Mrs Lodewyk.

“The team are currently processing a change to disabled parking which involves removing the disabled parking meters. They will be replaced, however, with a maximum time limit to enable use by more than one user so that the CBD is accessible to multiple people,” she said.

“Tickets will be issued to those not displaying a mobility parking permit or who exceed the time limits.”

Ms Kohn noted that the revenue gained from the meters ($16,000-$17,000) fell within the limits for matters to be dealt with as an “operational matter”.

“But it may well be that it becomes an elected member/committee decision,” she said.

Mrs Lodewyk said, "after presenting the barriers that paid parking meters pose for people with disabilities, the council have met and agreed to remove the parking meters in the disabled car parks.

“We would just like to say how much we appreciate a council that listens to the people and follows through," she said.

“The 2013 Disability Strategy, while being recognised by the council as being well overdue for updating, was a great platform to work with and we look forward to seeing an updated, future-focused Disability Strategy.”