Page 1860 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 2 May 2012
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The government is required to manage and balance its public parking stock to meet the needs of a number of users, such as users of loading zones, bus stops, taxi ranks, permit zones, short and long-term parking, as well as for people with a disability. Overall, the total number of TAMS-controlled standard and disabled parking spaces across town and group centres is 13,686. Of these, 411, or three per cent, are disabled parking spaces.
Mr Assistant Speaker, the motion by the Greens proposes that the level of mobility or disabled parking be increased to around four to five per cent of places. The government will continue to respond to requests for additional mobility spaces on a case-by-case basis, as we do now. This best reflects the needs of particular centres and locations within that centre. Providing a blanket increase would not necessarily assist those in need while at the same time it could disadvantage other users of car parking spaces.
It needs to be recognised that holders of mobility parking scheme permits have additional benefits beyond the use of special parking bays reserved for such permit holders. Mobility parking scheme permit holders can park free of charge at meters and in ticket parking areas for up to two hours if the time limit on the parking sign is 30 minutes or less and for an unlimited time if the time limit on the parking sign is more than 30 minutes. The same extended times apply to other government car parks and on-street parking areas that are free but time restricted.
Ms Le Couteur’s motion refers to the program of works to bring town and group centre car parks to the new Australian standard. In 2008 a detailed assessment of parking facilities for people with a disability in public car parks within town and group centres was undertaken by a consultant on behalf of Roads ACT. The study considered parking provision rates, accessibility, utilisation and a review of policy and demand trends. The provision rates were found to comply with the standards at the time of the review. However, some deficiencies were identified in relation to space dimensions, pavement grade, pram ramps and superseded signage.
In 2009 changes to the relevant Australian standard for off-street parking for people with disabilities was introduced. This new Australian standard is a legal requirement for all new works after May 2011. While it is not mandatory to retro-fit older spaces, there are benefits in having consistent arrangements across the ACT, and this is the approach the government has taken.
As a result, Roads ACT has developed a program of works to address the deficiencies identified in the 2008 study as well as the changes to the Australian standard. The program has a focus on 90 degree “wide bay” spaces and the majority of spaces that were identified as suitable for conversion to the new standard—some 261 out of 325 spaces—have now been completed at town and group centres. The remainder of these 90 degree spaces—some 64—are scheduled to be converted by the end of 2012.
Some older style spaces will, however, remain—for example, parallel parking spaces adjacent to a kerb and those which are set at an angle other than 90 degrees. These will be addressed in future programs. Some of the older style spaces are not able to be
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