Spinal Network News - December 2017
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ACCESS AWARE APP - DISABILITY SERVICE<br />
CCS Disability Action, the Wellington City Council, and<br />
Thundermaps, have signed a partnership agreement which<br />
cements a collaboration to revolutionise the reporting and<br />
enforcement of mobility-parking abuse. The revolutionary<br />
Access Aware app will connect people who encounter<br />
mobility-parking misuse directly with the Wellington City<br />
Council’s Parking Enforcement Teams.<br />
This initiative will prove life-changing for Wellington residents<br />
with access issues. “Our research shows that levels of parking<br />
abuse have not improved in ten years, with abuse rates still<br />
unacceptably high, despite increases in fines and attempts to<br />
grow awareness of the problem. Using a mobility-parking<br />
space without a permit, even “for just a minute”, can block a<br />
disabled person’s opportunity to live life freely,” explained CCS<br />
Disability Action Chief Executive, David Matthews.<br />
Users can make a report of any parking misuse they observe.<br />
These parking misuse reports can be shared with the<br />
Wellington City Council’s Parking Enforcement Team so that<br />
they can monitor the use and abuse of carparks. “Misuse of<br />
mobility carparks in New Zealand is a big issue, and a real<br />
concern for those with disabilities who have a genuine need for<br />
these parking spaces,’’ said the Council’s Transport Strategy and<br />
Operations Portfolio Leader, Councillor Chris Calvi-Freeman.<br />
“With this project, we hope to begin solving the problem<br />
of mobility-parking abuse and make it easier for those with<br />
disabilities to find carparks.”<br />
By downloading and using the Access Aware app on their<br />
smartphone or tablet, users can make a real difference to the<br />
disabled community by actively creating social change. “We<br />
believe that the data collected on parking abuse can influence<br />
the ways councils provide mobility carparks and enforce them.<br />
Eventually, we hope that this data can be used to advocate for a<br />
successful change to legislation so that both private and public<br />
mobility carparks are enforced equally and consistently across<br />
the board,” said Mr Matthews.<br />
This is a bold vision, but a wholly worthwhile one totally in<br />
line with CCS Disability Action’s organisational values and<br />
commitments to disabled people and the creation of more<br />
inclusive communities. The app was launched in Christchurch<br />
on 1 October and has already had 288 downloads and 116<br />
reports made. In 2018, CCS Disability Action will roll out this<br />
technology successively to their membership, networks, and<br />
via their Mobility Parking-Permit-holders’ database, as well as<br />
across the councils and businesses of Aotearoa-New Zealand.<br />
The Access Aware app also allows users to see the locations<br />
of known mobility-carpark locations on a map in real time so<br />
they can find a carpark when they need it. They can also add<br />
locations and descriptions of carparks not already mapped.<br />
The purpose of Access Aware is to drive change, not just<br />
for mobility-carpark locations, but also for other accessibility<br />
issues that our communities face. Currently, there is no single<br />
place where you can easily access reliable data for accessibilityrelated<br />
information New Zealand-wide. Access Aware aims to<br />
change that with world-first technology offering pre-mapped<br />
locations and information that will make accessing carparking,<br />
communities, walkways, businesses, utilities, public toilets, and<br />
accommodation simple and easy. The app won’t just provide<br />
information, it will also allow users to upload reports and to<br />
map relevant information themselves.<br />
Access Aware has the potential to be very useful for all<br />
disabled people, their families and whanau. Access Aware<br />
can significantly improve everyday access issues that prevent<br />
many people from fully participating in their communities. It’s<br />
free; it’s easy to use, and it could help change the accessibility<br />
landscape of New Zealand.<br />
People interested in taking part in the pilot are invited to<br />
download the free app on Google Play or Apple store by<br />
searching for “Access Aware”.<br />
For more information visit: www.ccsDisabilityAction.org.nz/<br />
AccessAware<br />
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