From: "BEHAN Laura" <LauraBehan@Transport.ie>
To: "Kenneth Fox" <kenneth.fox@ddai.ie>; "Tony Maher" <tmaher@iwa.ie>;
"Michael Doyle" <mdoyle@iwa.ie>
Sent: Friday, July 09, 2010 7:35 PM
Subject: FW: Dempsey publishes review of Disabled Parking Scheme 8 July 2010
For info - will follow up again after ICGP meeting
Regards,
Laura
Laura Behan, Road Safety & Traffic Division, Department of Transport
Tel: 604 (1422) E-mail: laurabehan@transport.ie
-----Original Message-----
From: Press Office - Department of Transport
Sent: 09 July 2010 14:38
Subject: Dempsey publishes review of Disabled Parking Scheme 8 July 2010
Press release
8 July 2010
Dempsey publishes review of Disabled Parking Scheme
The Minister for Transport, Mr. Noel Dempsey T.D., today published the
findings of his Department's review of the Disabled Parking Scheme. The
Disabled Parking Scheme gives local authorities the power to designate
special on-street parking bays for people with disabilities and to grant
special parking permits to qualifying people with severely restricted
mobility. The Scheme has been in operation since 1997 and the purpose of the
review was to examine the existing operation of the Scheme, to make
recommendations and suggest new measures to improve the Scheme. The overall
outcome of the review is to ensure that more specific disabled parking bays
are available to those most in need of them.
Key recommendations from the review include:
§ Changing the medical eligibility criteria for the Disabled
Person's Parking permit
§ New measures to reduce the fraudulent use of permits
§ An increase in the size of some types of parking bays
§ The introduction of new types of disabled parking bays
§ Giving powers to local authorities to introduce time restricted
parking spaces and
§ New set down and pick-up only disabled spaces.
Speaking today, Minister Dempsey said: "I have accepted the findings of the
review and approved the proposed recommendations for amendment of the
scheme. I wish to express my thanks to our colleagues in the Irish
Wheelchair Association and the Disabled Drivers Association, for their
assistance in conducting the review."
The review of the Disabled Parking Scheme was carried out by the Department
of Transport, in co-operation with the Irish Wheelchair Association and the
Disabled Drivers Association. Local Government and other disability
interests were consulted, together with recommended consultants in the
cardiac and respiratory fields. In addition, the Garda National Traffic
Bureau was consulted on enforcement issues. The review also took into
account the concerns that arose as a result of contacts with local
authorities, Disability access groups and the general public.
The scheme was established to provide wider, longer parking bays close to
services such as post offices, banks, pharmacies and shops for people for
whom access to such services would be denied if they could not park and
disembark either because of the size of a parking bay or because their
limited mobility required that they park within a short distance of a
service. The review examined the elements of the scheme and makes
recommendations to secure the better functioning of the scheme with the
positive objective being to ensure that more specific disabled parking bays
are available to those most in need of them.
The Minister concluded: "These and the other recommendations of the review
will be implemented by my Department and the issuing authorities between now
and the end of 2010 through revised Regulations. The new Disabled Drivers
Permits will also incorporate improved anti-fraud measures to ensure that
disabled parking bays in our towns and cities are available to those most in
need of them."
ENDS
Further information:
Department of Transport Press Office: (01) 604 1090 / (01) 604 1091.
Editors:
A series of FAQ's on the review of the Disabled Parking Permit Scheme is set
out below.
FAQ's on the review of the Disabled Parking Permit Scheme
Why was there a review of the Disabled Parking Permit Scheme?
The review examined several aspects of the disabled parking scheme,
including eligibility for the permit, enforcement, the issuing of permits
and the designation of parking bays. The review makes a number of key
recommendations. These are:
Eligibility
· The medical eligibility criteria should be revised to focus more on
the level of mobility impairment rather than the type of disability and to
tighten the cardiac/respiratory criterion to include only those for whom
walking, even short distances, is extremely difficult, detrimental or
impossible
· Continuation of the exemption of Primary Medical Certificate
holders and those registered as blind from further medical assessment in
qualifying for the permit;
· A change in the focus of the role of GPs from certification of
eligibility to provision of medical information to decision makers within
the issuing authorities;
· The introduction of a right of review of decisions on eligibility
for the parking permit.
Designated parking bays
· Local authorities should be allowed to impose time restrictions on
parking in some designated disabled bays to maximize efficient use of
available bays;
· A new type of set down and pickup only disabled bay to be allowed;
· Increase in prescribed dimensions of some types of disabled parking
bay;
Enforcement
· The permit should have improved anti-fraud measures.
Issuing of permits
· The Irish Wheelchair Association and the Disabled Drivers
Association of Ireland should remain the issuing authorities;
· The Issuing authorities should be permitted to charge a higher fee
(currently EUR25), for the card to reflect higher card issuing costs
incorporating improved anti-fraud measures.
How will these recommendations be implemented?
a) The preparation of revised regulations implementing the recommended
statutory amendments;
b) The issuing to local authorities of an associated circular with the
revised regulations setting out the relevant revised terms of the scheme
(designated bay size, road markings and signage, potential for new
time-based restrictions etc);
c) The approval by the Department of revised terms and conditions of
the scheme and revised level of fee with the issuing authorities; and
d) Consulting with the Irish College of General Practitioners regarding
information dissemination on the revised role of GPs and new medical
eligibility criteria and on the establishment of an appeals panel.
When will the recommendations be implemented?
>Between now and the end of this year.
Will all existing parking permits need to be renewed immediately?
> It is intended that as and when permits come up for renewal, the holders
> will have to meet the new criteria in order to have their permits renewed.
So how do I apply for a parking permit now?
>The Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) and the Disabled Drivers Association
>of Ireland (DDAI) will remain the issuing authorities for disabled drivers
>permits. Applicants should continue to apply to either of these bodies.
>An application currently involves:
* A declaration of personal details on request for an application form
* A GP assessment
* A form stamped by the Gardai to confirm the identity of the applicant.
Following the introduction of the proposed new criteria, the key difference
will be that GPs will be requested to provide to the issuing authority (at
the request of their patients) the required medical information by
responding to a series of questions on the application form. The issuing
authority (IWA or DDAI) will then take the decision regarding the
appropriateness of granting a permit.
Why is the fee for a disabled parking permit being increased?
>The current charge for the issuing of a permit is EUR25, and the review
>recommends allowing the issuing authorities to charge a higher fee, up to a
>maximum of EUR35. This is being done to allow for the introduction of a
>new card format with improved anti-fraud measures built into the card, and
>in recognition that the number of cards issued by the issuing authorities
>will fall with, at least over the next two years, no corresponding
>reduction in administration and issuing costs.
Were disability organisations consulted in the conduct of this review?
>Yes. The review was carried out by the Department of Transport, in
>co-operation with the two permit issuing authorities, the Irish Wheelchair
>Association and the Disabled Drivers Association of Ireland. During the
>course of the review, local government and disability interests were
>consulted. Recommended medical/surgical consultants in the cardiac and
>respiratory fields assisted with the development of revised medical
>criteria. The Garda National Traffic Bureau was consulted on the
>enforcement issues. The review also took into account concerns arising
>regarding the scheme from contacts with local authorities, Disability
>Access Groups and correspondence from public representatives and the
>general public.
So how widespread is fraud?
>The disabled parking permit issuing authorities have observed,
>(particularly in more recent years), a significant increase in the
>incidence of fraudulent cards notified to them.
Types of offence can include forging or fraudulently altering or using a
disabled parking permit, knowingly giving particulars that are false or
misleading in connection with an application for a disabled parking permit,
and fraudulently lending to, or allowing a disabled parking permit to be
used by someone else.
The wider availability of colour photocopying and laminating machines has
meant that production of fraudulent disabled parking cards has become easier
and more common; despite the use of anti-fraud measures such as holographic
images on the current card.
The review makes the point that current guidelines on eligibility focused on
identifying particular conditions, rather than on the level of mobility
impairment that those conditions involved.
The review recommends a refocusing of guidelines to emphasise that permits
should be given only in the cases for which the scheme was originally
designed. That is, people whose conditions lead to serious mobility
impairment.
The recommendation of the review is that GPs should now certify that an
applicant has a given level of mobility impairment. The final decision on
granting a permit rests with the IWA or DDAI. This will create greater
clarity and transparency in the system, as it will mean that GPs certify
level of mobility impairment and IWA/DDAI check and approve it, rather than
having one person do both. This is not a reflection on GPs, and should
rather reduce some of the burden placed on them by the operation of the
scheme.
Will local authorities have to devote more on-street parking spaces to
disabled parking spaces?
>The level of provision of designated bays by local authorities is a matter
>for local authorities and beyond the scope of the statutory scheme.
Revisions to the Part M Technical Guidance Document of the Building
Regulations (currently being considered for introduction) regarding access
for people with disabilites to and use of facilities, which would be
mandatory in new buildings and existing buildings when extended or
materially altered from 1 July 2011 will potentially provide that where
on-site car parking is provided, whether for residents, employees, visitors
or others, a number of designated disabled car-parking spaces should be
provided on a proportional basis. In general for new buildings (including
apartment buildings), 5% of the total number of spaces would be designated
disabled car-parking spaces, with a minimum provision of at least one such
space.
This 5% provision is generally considered appropriate by planners for local
authority and private construction, although it has no application in
respect of on-street car parking except as a guideline minimum. However, it
would provide a useful benchmark for local authorities to measure against.
How will the new 'set down and pick up' parking spaces work?
>The review recommends introducing a new type of parking space for setting
>down and picking up only. These spaces would be for the benefit of
>passengers with disabilities, and could be especially useful at accessible
>public transport stops or interchanges or at commercial areas with high
>parking demand. Such set down and pick up bays would enable improved
>access for people with disabilities, and would complement but not be a
>substitute for designated disabled parking bays.
Who is going to operate the appeal process for those refused a permit. How
do I apply?
>The precise mechanism for handling appeals remains to be finalised. The
>review recommends that appeals against refusals of applications for permits
>be dealt with by qualified medical professionals. Proposals in this regard
>will be explored in more detail with the Irish College of General
>Practitioners (ICGP).
Why is my gender and year of birth on my permit?
>It is an anti-fraud measure, designed to make it easier to verify, that the
>person using a disabled parking space is the person for whose benefit the
>permit was issued. It does not increase the possibility of personal
>identification by a casual passer-by.
What is changing about restricted or paid-on street parking and vehicles
with a disabled parking permit?
>Currently parking regulations provide that in areas of restricted or paid
>on-street parking, a vehicle may only be parked for the indicated maximum
>length of time and may not be re-parked in that place within an hour after
>being removed. Holders of disabled parking permits had an exemption from
>that rule allowing them to re-park within an hour or remain parked in an
>on-street restricted parking space. Local authorities could not impose
>restrictions on the maximum duration of parking in those spaces.
This has had the unintended effect of exacerbating the difficulties
experienced by some disabled person's parking permit holders in accessing
bays close to high demand and necessary services, as some bays have in
effect been occupied all day. It has also made it harder for local
authorities to meet the parking needs of all. Removal of this exemption
will allow local authorities more flexibility to impose maximum parking
lengths of time or to allow all day parking depending on the demand and
utilisation patterns for given bays and local circumstances.
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