Ari Seirlis writes:
It is with great disappointment that I see the George Municipality issuing disability parking discs to people who then use wheelchair parking bays in the city, as well as at private shopping centres and other facilities.
The criteria for obtaining these discs appear to be far too broad. If an applicant can simply obtain a medical certificate confirming an impairment or medical condition, they may be given access to parking facilities specifically intended to accommodate wheelchair users.
There is an important point that seems to be completely misunderstood: wheelchair parking is not about being closer to the entrance. It is about having the extra space to get in and out of a vehicle.
A properly designed wheelchair parking bay should provide about 3.5m of width. That additional width allows a wheelchair user to open the vehicle door fully and transfer safely between the vehicle and their wheelchair. For many wheelchair users, there is simply no alternative.
Yet these bays are increasingly being used by people who may have a hip replacement, a limp, breathing difficulties, a pacemaker or another medical condition, but who do not require the additional width of a wheelchair parking bay.
I am not suggesting that people with other disabilities or medical conditions do not experience genuine difficulties. They do. But not every disability creates a need for the additional width provided by a wheelchair parking bay.
When someone uses one simply because it saves them a few metres of walking, they are making a choice that can have a very real consequence for a wheelchair user. The wheelchair user may arrive to find every accessible bay occupied and be unable to safely get out of their vehicle.
So, before using one of these bays, please stop and think. Do you actually need the additional width? If you can get in and out of your vehicle without that extra space, please leave the bay for someone who cannot.
And if you are considering applying for a disability parking disc, please ask yourself the same question: Do I need the extra width, or am I simply looking for a parking space closer to the entrance?
Wheelchair users don't have another option. We need these wider bays because of the physical space required to use our wheelchairs.
Please think twice before taking a wheelchair parking bay. It isn't about saving a few metres. It is about giving a wheelchair user the space they need to live their life.
Leave the space for those who genuinely need it.
Municipality responds:
Ismail Patel, senior manager of public safety at George Municipality, said George's Municipal Traffic Services consider applications for parking exemption discs in terms of Regulation 305 of the National Road Traffic Regulations (NRTA). Applications are assessed based on a medical certificate completed by a suitably qualified health professional, together with the required supporting documentation. Each application is considered on its own merits before a decision is made.
Members of the public who become aware of the misuse of a parking exemption disc are requested to report it to Traffic Services, providing the exemption disc reference number and/or vehicle registration number where available.
Traffic Services will investigate reported cases and take appropriate action where warranted.
