An Aussie council in Perth is trialling a new parking system for seniors.
The City of Stirling, has 254,000 residents, with about 20 per cent of the population aged over 60.
The council have identified that parking is one of the biggest struggles for seniors in the region, and has introduced 20 new parking spaces for senior drivers at 10 different venues.
The trial runs from Monday, May 18, to Sunday, August 9, in hopes of encouraging seniors to “stay active and connected in the community”.
The senior parking bays are different from disabled parking bays, as it is not limited to those with severe mobility restrictions or are legally blind, and they do not replace the designated bays under the Australian Council for Rehabilitation of Disabled (ACROD) program.
“Seniors parking bays do not replace ACROD parking, however, they may be helpful for seniors who do not meet the criteria for ACROD parking but would still benefit from parking closer to an entrance,” the council said.
The senior parking bays are marked with a green ‘Priority Parking For Seniors’ which have been posted at the participating venues in the council.
Venues include libraries in Inglewood, Mirrabooka, Osborne, Scarborough, and Karrinyup and leisure centres in Inglewood, Mirrabooka, Balga, Hamersley, and Scarborough.
Each venue has two spaces available and council volunteers are also able to use the spots when transporting seniors.
While the senior parking spaces are not legally enforceable, the community is responsible for making sure its used as intended – similar to pram parking spots.
“The trial does not define a specific age for who is considered a senior,” the City of Stirling said.
“People experience ageing differently, and use of the bays is based on self‑identification and provided as a courtesy rather than through enforcement.”
Residents are encouraged to share their thoughts on the new parking bays in a short survey, to help the council in their upcoming review of their parking laws.
“These insights could be considered as part of the planned review of the City’s Parking Local Law later this year,” the City said.
“Our older residents have told us about their struggles with parking – and we want them to know that we are listening,” Deputy Mayor Karlo Perkov added.
Images: City of Stirling/ Karlo Perkov
