Residents are backing a call for a review of accessible parking options, claiming poorly designed spaces create an “unacceptable risk” for all road users.
The comments come off the back of a notified motion that was submitted to Noosa Council last month.
Councillor Amelia Lorentson presented the motion at the June ordinary meeting calling for a comprehensive audit of council-owned accessible parking across the shire.
Under current legislation, the National Construction Code (NCC) requires one accessible parking bay per 100 standard spaces.
Cr Lorentson said this minimum standard did not reflect real-world needs, particularly at high-use sites such as healthcare centres, council-run community hubs and shopping precincts.
“In practice, many locations … may require significantly more mobility parking than the NCC baseline to accommodate actual user needs,” she said via the motion.
“Current feedback from residents highlights practical challenges with the design, placement and availability of accessible parking bays across the shire.
“These include bays that lack sufficient clearance for wheelchair access, are poorly positioned relative to kerb ramps or entries, or are consistently occupied in high-demand locations.”
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Noosa resident Janine Cook said a lack of adequate parking forced her son, who is a teacher in the region and drives a modified vehicle, to risk his safety when parking.
She said accessible parking within the Noosa Junction precinct was particularly “risky”.
“It is not possible for my son to use an ordinary parking space because there is not enough space to open the car door wide enough to allow for wheelchair access,” she said.
“Parking in some of the wheelchair accessible spaces around the Junction, too, involves unacceptable risk for him.
“Because insufficient space has been allocated, as a driver he is forced to get out of the car and transfer into his wheelchair on the road.
“The consequences of this clearly pose an unacceptable hazard for all who may be involved in an accident.”
Libby Doherty’s 10-year-old daughter uses a wheelchair and she said finding a safe place to park should not be a “luxury”.
“For families like mine, accessible parking is not a luxury, it is an essential part of being able to leave the house, attend school or therapy, participate in community events or simply go to the shops,” she said.
“Too often we are met with parking bays that are poorly designed, inadequately sized or positioned in ways that make safe access impossible.
“In some cases, we’ve had to turn around and go home.”
Sporting Wheelies CEO Dane Cross said an audit would provide an “evidence-based picture of current gaps and future priorities”.
“It will enable targeted improvements that reflect Noosa’s demographic profile (and) support inclusive planning,” he said.
According to 2021 Census data, 5.6 per cent of Noosa’s population, or more than 3000 people, identified as needing help with core daily activities due to disability.
“This motion is not about ticking boxes,” Cr Lorentson said.
“Our median age of 50 is significantly higher than the national average, and in some areas, more than one in four residents are over 65.
“These demographic indicators underscore the importance of a proactive, needs-based approach to mobility planning.”
Cr Lorentson moved the motion, which requested the chief executive officer to prepare a report outlining the scope and cost of investigating an audit of all council-owned accessible parking spaces to be considered by councillors as part of future budget deliberations.
The motion was carried, with councillors Frank Wilkie, Jessica Phillips, Amelia Lorentson Brian Stockwell, Tom Wegener and Nicola Wilson for, while Cr Karen Finzel voted against.
