WESTFIELD Miranda wants to re-introduce free parking for disabled drivers after reports they are facing difficulties in finding parking spaces within the renovated and extended shopping complex.
Sutherland Shire Council has received an application by the SCentre Group, owner and operator of Westfield Miranda, asking 93 spaces be set aside as a "free parking area (disabled parking)".
Another seven spaces will be made available to the community and child care centre for a staff and parents' drop-off and pick-up area. Under the agreement, Westfield would pay for signs and linemarking but the council would need to patrol the free parking spaces.
"The revenue stream generated from penalty infringement notices will cover council's costs in patrolling the designated spaces," a council staff report said.
The council had a free parking agreement with Westfield Miranda from 2009 to 2011 which provided disabled parking spaces.
After being designated a "free parking area," the area comes under the regulatory control of the council for the purposes of policing unauthorised use of disabled spaces, allowing the council's parking rangers to issue cautions and penalty notices.
Is re-introducing free parking for people with a disability a good move?