Subscribe to RSSMobility Spaces Need To Go Blue
Nothing makes me more cross than seeing someone who shouldn’t sneak into a mobility park because it’s a convenient spot in a crowded parking area.
Mobility parking serves an important function for the disabled and too often they are spots poorly policed.
Recently I chastised a group of young guys who roared into the mobility spot in a shopping mall and was rewarded with predictable abuse and hand gestures.
I informed the shopping mall’s information centre but when I exited some time later, noticed nothing had been done.
So just like bus lanes, authorities need to scream more about them with appropriate markings.
Wellington Council is trialling a scheme in which mobility parking spots in the suburbs of Island Bay and Newtown are painted blue.
Wellington paints the spots blue
The response so far? The council says a few concerned motorists who usually use mobility parks have called us to make sure the rules for using the parks haven’t changed.
Those motorists need to pull their head in and support mobility parking.
If the trial is successful, the Council will paint all its 120-plus mobility parks bright blue.
Good idea, Wellington.
Over to you Auckland.
10 Comments
A fantastic initiative. I hope Auckland Council watch this trial and then take it up (assuming it is successful).
I don’t understand the second part of that. Why do they need to “pull their head in”? Assuming they’re entitled to use mobility parks, I don’t blame them for wanting to check that the rules haven’t changed if the appearance has.
Yeah, what Matt said - sounds like they were referring to legitimate mobility space users.
I think more enforcement is the better way to go - people who use mobility spaces illegally in 95% of all cases KNOW they are doing so. What is a little bit more blue paint?
Marking and maintaining road paint over big patches is also very expensive. I would have bought a scooter or two, and hired two more enforcement guys. Let’s see mobility space mis-users whine in the Herald - even that paper with it’s anti-enforcement campaigns is unlikely to stoop so low as to lend them a sympathetic ear.
what a brilliant idea! My blood also boils when I see perfectly abled bodied people using these parking spaces! C’mon Auckland get on board!
Enforcement would have been a far better choice. The scum that park there illegally are fully aware and do not require blue paint to advise them.
The parking wardens can also issue tickets for no rego, etc at the same time.
But painting is an easier option.
The real reason they are doing this painting is unclear, remember more paint means more cost.
I’ll take a few guesses.
1. The current markings are unclear and people illegally using the spaces in (genuine) error. The new paint will make it clearer.
2. The council likes the look of the new paint scheme.
3. The council wants to be seen to be doing something to improve the situation.
Wouldn’t it make more sense to use Yellow instead of Blue? :S
@Scott The Council said the idea of painting was to see if they help deter people from parking where they shouldn’t. It was hoped they will help mobility users identify parks . They are trying blue to see if that colour works. It is a trial.
Auckland’s councils trialled this a couple of years ago. Gisborne before that. There are ways that don’t take as much paint.
The law does not allow parking wardens to enforce mobility parking on “private” land like shopping malls.