Hannah Hammoud
Brimbank councillor Maria Kerr said she was not “satisfied” with council’s proposed recommendations to address a lack of accessible parking at the front of the Brimbank Community and Civic Centre (BCCC).
Cr Kerr is a member of the Brimbank Disability Advisory Committee which hosts regular meetings at the BCCC and said there are “never enough” accessible parking spots available.
Currently, there are three parking bays at the entrance of the BCCC with one dedicated to accessible parking.
Last year, Cr Kerr raised a notice of motion for the re-designation of the car parks to be accessible car parks
“It is of utmost importance that people with disability have sufficient, accessible parking and that other members of the community respect those designated parking bays,” Cr Kerr said at the time.
The report came back to council at the most recent meeting on April 16, where council officers recommended option C, the third of three options presented for consideration.
Option C recommended that the existing parking bays along Hampshire Road, comprising of one accessible bay and two short term parking bays, remain as they are, with enforcement to ensure appropriate use.
Council said the current parking conditions allow for short term parking for members of the community to access the BCCC and library while also providing a parking space for someone with a disability. Holders of a disabled parking permit are permitted to park for longer periods within the short-term parking bays.
However Cr Kerr took issue with the recommendation as option C did not include any modifications to the two short term parking bays and questioned how these would be able to be used by people with disability.
“… the other recommendations [Options A and B] say that those parkings are not fit for purpose to be accessible car parks so why would people that have a disability be able to use option C?” she asked.
A council officer said that while some people with wheelchair needs and larger vehicles would not be able to use the standard car parks, people who hold disability permits for other mobility reasons would be able to use the spaces.
Cr Kerr opted to defer the decision to the next council meeting and further explore options.
