Disability advocates want to see more people respect accessible parking spaces as we reveal Adelaide’s worst hot spots for breaches
More drivers are doing the right thing by not parking in accessible spots across the city, but disability advocates say there is still more to be done as we reveal Adelaide’s worst parking fine hot spots.
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The number of drivers caught parking in disability spaces without a permit has dropped 30 per cent in the past year, a survey of Adelaide councils shows.
The decrease has been welcomed by disability advocates, but they say there is still a long way to go to ensure people with a disability, or the elderly, have access to priority parking spaces.
In 2019/20, 1387 motorists were fined for parking in disabled spaces across 19 council areas, including Adelaide, Norwood Payneham & St Peters, Charles Sturt, Walkerville and Gawler. This was down from 1959 fines the previous financial year.
Rick Neagle, who is president of disability advocacy group the Count Me In Foundation, said the drop in fines showed an encouraging shift in people’s mindsets.
He said it might be down to more people challenging those who parked illegally in disability spaces.
“You can’t change arrogance, but you can educate ignorance in a sense,” he said.
“The number of people doing the wrong thing is improving in time, but there is still a long way to go and we are not finished.”
Disability Advocacy and Complaints Service of SA chief executive Kendall Field said there needed to be an even bigger drop in people using the spaces without a permit.
“Community attitudes and bias that prevent people from accessing their community will continue to perpetuate disadvantage and inequality,” Ms Field said.
“An accessible community for people with disability is not a burden, rather it is accessible and engaging for all.”
She called for an increase in the number of disability parking spaces, rather than leaving people to get by with the “bare minimum”.
People who use a disability parking space without a permit face a fine of $390, up from $371 in 2018/19.
Councils across Adelaide issued about $530,000 in fines between them in 2019/20, down from about $850,000 the year before.
Adelaide City Council issued 372 fines, down from 624 the year before. The biggest percentage drops were recorded in Marion, Burnside, Onkaparinga, Adelaide Hills and Prospect.
Salisbury, Unley, Campbelltown and Tea Tree Gully councils all recorded an increase in fines.
Most councils said a proportion of fines were waived because the driver forgot to display a valid permit.
A Marion Council spokesman said he was pleased to see a drop in the number of fines.
“We would expect that drivers be respectful of people living with a disability,” he said.
A Tea Tree Gully spokeswoman urged drivers to be courteous of those with a disability.
“When drivers without a disability permit park in these bays, they are preventing people with disabilities the opportunity to participate in every area of community life,” she said.
Human Services Minister Michelle Lensink said she was pleased that more motorists were doing the right thing.
“Disability carparks exist for good reason and it’s completely unacceptable for motorists to use the spaces without permits,” she said.
