24/04/2024
POST EDITED ON 24.4.2024 - UPDATE ON KENILWORTH CENTRE:
We would like to commend Redefine Properties for taking swift action regarding this case.
"Kindly be informed that we have installed a bollard in the "non-parking bay" area to prevent people from parking there creating challenges for customers with wheelchairs using the disabled parking bays. The bollard was installed in a position to ensure that it does not obstruct the space and use of a wheelchair."
Thank you Redefine Properties for taking disability seriously and putting your money where your mouth is!
ORIGINAL POST FOLLOWS BELOW:
Parking bays for people with disabilities at shopping centres remain problematic. Shopping Centre Owners and Managers just don't care what happens on the ground and the daily slog people with disabilities have to endure just to navigate the journey from the car into the shopping centre and back again.
Providing a standard parking bay close to the entrance IS NOT PROVIDING DISABILITY ACCESSIBLE PARKING. Disability accessible parking is more than just parking close to the entrance.
Car Parking
• Sufficient parking bays, 3.5m in width, to be provided
close to entrances and with ramps to allow people using
wheelchairs to transfer from the car to the chair and
move to the building with ease
• Parking bays clearly signposted and parking security to
ensure that bays are only used by people with mobility
impairments
Parking security is outsourced to companies who also don't care. All they care about is moving cars in and out of parking spaces as quickly as possible in order to earn a few rands. Car Guards have no control over the disability parking bays. Those who try to do the right thing by getting non-qualifying motorists to move, are verbally and in some cases physically abused by motorists who insist they have the right to park wherever they like.
Our attention was drawn once again to an incident at Kenilworth Centre in Cape Town where it was alleged that Pick n Pay delivery driver parked in an "empty spot" (not an official parking bay) next to a disability bay rendering the disability parking space useless because the disabled person could not open the door wide enough to be able to disembark into the wheelchair.
Shopping Centre Owners and Managers need to manage this. Logistics staff need to train the Drivers to respect the rights of people with disabilities.
South African Council of Shopping Centres Western Cape Association of and for Persons with Disabilities Quadpara Association of the Western Cape QuadPara Association Western Cape - QAWC Anthony Ghillino
