Fines soar for illegally using disability parks

by Greg Taipari greg.taipari@dailypost.co.nz
Fines for illegally parking in spaces reserved for disabled people are about to nearly quadruple to $150 - and mobility card holders like Rotorua's Jean Crawley hope it will finally fix the problem.

From next Friday, the fine for parking in a mobility parking space without displaying a current card will increase from $40 to $150.

Jean Crawley, who suffered a stroke seven years ago and now has a mobility carpark permit, says she has seen many people park illegally but won't approach them.

"My friends have asked people to move and have been abused. So my husband just looks for another park."

The Daily Post talked to five mobility card holders and all but one say there is a huge problem with people illegally using the parks.

We also asked four people we caught illegally using the parks what their excuses were, with time and the fact they pay taxes among them.

Three card holders had asked people to move and were verbally abused.

The CCS Disability Action group has been working with the Ministry of Transport and New Zealand Parking Association to increase the parking fine.

Senior administrator for CCS, Cheryl Mercer, said illegal parking was a major problem throughout the country and CCS hoped stiffer penalties would make people think twice.

A $150 fine was a lot of money, she said. "With the high cost of living, I'm sure many families couldn't afford to waste money like that."

Rotorua District Council parking division manager Jean Douglas said vehicles were not allowed in mobility parks unless they had an approved disabled person's permit prominently displayed.

Mrs Douglas said illegal parking in mobility spaces was a problem in Rotorua.

From June 1, 2007, the council issued 459 infringement notices for illegally parking on mobility parks.

"These are just the ones we are catching," Mrs Douglas said.

The money from fines was used by the council for roading.

Mrs Douglas said there were 73 mobility parks in the central city area.

This did not include the mobility parks located in private carparks, including at supermarkets, Bunnings, Rotorua Hospital and the Central Mall.

Businesses with private carparks could not fine people who wrongly parked in mobility parks but could have vehicles towed at the owners' expense.

Central city mobility spaces were wider to allow disabled people more room to get in and out of cars.

and allow for wheelchairs. The parks were also close to ramps for access to footpaths. Parking wardens would continue to be vigilant.

in enforcing mobility parking rules.

THE EXCUSES: *"I'm only going to be five minutes ... I'll move if they want me to."

*"I don't think anyone deserves special treatment. We all pay taxes."

*"I'm more annoyed when old people get a permit just because they're old."

*"I'm only popping in for five minutes and I don't want to take my kids out of the car."