Excluding those available in private parking lots, there are currently only 15 disabled parking spaces on the streets of Central. 

At the last count in November 2016, there were a total of 2651 mobility permit holders across Wagga. 

Lisa Saffery, the council’s social planning coordinator, said her team tried to consult as many stakeholders as possible in deciding where the new parking spots would be placed.

“We have gone out to a number of stakeholders in the community – transport providers, carers, or people with disabilities themselves – and asked them for a list of their priorities as to where they want more disabled parking,” Ms Saffery said. 

“We have tried to make sure that, where we are making the changes, it’s in the areas that those people felt were a priority.” 

The works began on Baylis Street between Morgan and Forsyth streets and will later move one block north, with more works coming on Tompson and Peter streets later in the piece. 

The first stage of the works will see four new 12-metre long parking spaces constructed to make room for vehicles with rear-mounted lifting devices for passengers with wheelchairs. 

Libby Clohessy of The Leisure Company, a Wagga-based disability services group, said these parking spaces would make a huge difference for their customers. 

“I know that the loading and unloading of our participants in wheelchairs is a real concern for the participants’ safety,” Ms Clohessy said.

“Clients with wheelchairs need a lot more space than a regular parking spot gives you, because unloading them out into the traffic on the street obviously isn’t safe.” 

Stage one of the parking upgrades are expected to be completed by the end of June.

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