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Cook resident Johann Sheehan used the Theatre Lane car park in Canberra's centre to see her physiotherapist, whose sessions keep her mobile after multiple spinal surgeries. She can drive despite living with conditions including cerebral palsy and arthritis, but with the Theatre Lane car park closed, she now has to rely on other transport. City doctor turns patients away Dr Adrian Wright, who treats patients at City Family Practice on London Circuit, said he first moved to that site because it was accessible for his patients. "We moved over [to] this particular building 32 years ago because I loved the access. We had a big car park there. It was flat on the ground so that anyone in wheelchairs or prams and strollers, or wheelie walkers had no steps involved," he said. Dr Wright said he sees many elderly patients whom he has advised not to visit his London Circuit practice because of the lack of accessible parking. "We have a lot of people over the age of 80, and a lot of them are disabled. They've been coming faithfully for many years," he said. "There's been a couple of patients that I was sad to lose and they were sad to lose me." Government considers turning loading zones into accessible parking Since Ms Sheehan contacted Minister Cheyne's office, the ACT government has suggested temporarily converting loading zones into disability parking."We do need to balance of course the purpose of loading zones and we're not looking to make life any harder for businesses. But that's effectively where the opportunities are for us in the available car parks in that area," Minister Cheyne said.But Ms Sheehan said there was no point converting loading zones unless they are located near essential services."People with mobility issues need parking near the services that they need. For me it's the physio, for other people it's the doctor, GPs, other health professionals, the Public Advocate," she said. "There's no point really in having these [parking spots] where the services are not [located]." Liberals call to improve access for people with mobility issues ACT Liberal MLA Elizabeth Lee said the government needed to better accommodate people with disability. "We're talking about people who are in wheelchairs or using walking frames or on crutches or moon boots now [walking] for several hundred metres, which might be fine for the average Canberran, but if you are having mobility issues, that's actually quite a long way," she said. Ms Lee said while more accessible parking was required near Theatre Lane car park, the government must also consider the needs of local businesses. "I know that there are some businesses and musos, for example, who have raised concern about the lack of loading zones as well. So there does need to be a balance," she said. "But of course we want to make sure that there are sufficient disability parking spots, especially for those accessing medical services."
