Peterborough police cracking down on accessible parking permit infractions

Peterborough police are launching a campaign targeting those who are using accessible parking permits illegally.

“We’ve had individuals who are using permits from deceased relatives who passed away years ago, and they have no mobility issues themselves,” said Sgt. Peter Sejrup.

On-street accessible parking infractions are enforced by Peterborough bylaw officers. Illegally parking in an on-street accessible spot carries a $300 set fine.

But illegally using the permit itself is a different matter, Sejrup explains, and falls under the Highway Traffic Act.

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Permits are assigned to individuals, he says, and not vehicles. A person with an accessible parking permit can transfer that permit to whatever car he or she may be driving.

Sejrup says using a permit that’s not assigned to you can result in a summons to court. If convicted, violators face fines ranging from $300 to $5,000.

Police prefer to educate rather than enforce, Sejrup says, and those with permits seem happy to see officers checking on them.

“They’re all thankful when we do check, because they feel that frustration. They’re the ones who experience first-hand needing that parking spot and it’s not available to them,” he says.

Jason King works for the Peterborough branch of the Ontario Council for Persons with Disabilities, and says parking infractions happen in Peterborough on a daily basis.

“This is an ongoing issue with a lot of drivers,” King says, “it’s a matter of entitlement instead of consideration.”

He’s optimistic about the police campaign, but worries that it won’t do enough to curb the problem.