Hawke's Bay has a 'disability park rage' problem, Hastings woman with permit says

Colleen Lowe and friend Lesley Riley want better policing of disability parks in Hawke's Bay. Photo / Paul Taylor

A woman who needs a walker to get around says it's becoming increasingly difficult to get out in Hawke's Bay because of the region's disability parking woes.

Colleen Lowe has given up confronting those parking illegally in disability parks, and wants City Assist to have the power to ticket them.

The Hastings woman said she had been denied access to shops and community events because of a lack of parking, but people with disabilities were just as much part of the community as everyone else.

"We don't want privilege, we just want to be able to live the life of what most people experience every day."

A disability parking permit costs $50 and lasts five years, with short-term options for people with a temporary disability.

Lowe said people without permits had abused her when she confronted them for parking in a disability spot.

"Talk about road rage, it's disability park rage."

People with a disability permit are allowed extra time at pay and display parks, but regular car parks are not as wide as disability parks, making it harder to get wheelchairs or walkers in and out of them, Lowe said.

"It's very difficult, if not at times impossible."

As well as giving City Assist additional ticketing powers, Lowe would like signs at disability spots with a phone number to report infringements.

Hastings District Council has issued 107 notices to people for parking in a disability park without a permit in the past 12 months.

Napier City Council said it was not able to break down its parking ticket data to include specific disability parking breaches.

The council had received one complaint relating to disability parking.

If anyone saw illegal parking in disability spots they should call the council's main number, a spokeswoman said.