Parking: some anomalies

by Eric J Martin, AM

In 2006 Eric was granted the award of Member of the Order of Australia in recognition of his contribution to heritage and conservation and disability access matters in Australia. Eric Martin has practiced architecture since 1973. He is a life fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects and has a Masters degree in building conservation. After working with Government and private practice he established his own architectural practice in 1998 offering a full range of services with additional expertise in architectural conservation and access for people with disabilities. In 2019 the practice was awarded the Australian Institute of Architects Professional Practice of the Year for the ACT. Eric is the Australian Institute of Architects International Representative to the UIA Region IV Access and Heritage Committees and the Building Codes Committee. He is a member of Standards Australia ME64 committee on disability access and the Institute of National Practice Committee. He is also the current convener of the Institute’s National Access Working Group. Eric is an accredited access consultant and is past National President of the Association of Consultants in Access, Australia. He is currently the Australian Institute of Architects representative on the Building Codes Committee.

There are some anomalies with the parking standards that detail requirements for people with disabilities:

1. GRADIENTS

AS1428.1 requires a maximum 1 in 40 for concrete surfaces and a maximum 1 in 33 for bituminous concrete. This has been accepted as bitumen is a rougher surface and the slightly steeper gradient is required for a more effective run off or drainage.

However, for wheelchair users of parking spaces the maximum gradient is all about easy movement in any direction without tipping over.

If 1 in 33 is accepted as suitable to prevent tipping over with one material then why is it not accepted for all materials?

2. ANGLED PARKING

This is permitted in AS2890.6 section 2.2.1 for between 45 degrees and 90 degrees.

The principle of a shared zone between five designated parking spaces is to enable a potential user to drive in or back in and always have the shared area available to exit/enter the vehicle regardless of whether they are a driver or passenger.

However, with angled parking it is easy to drive in but almost impossible to back in against the vehicle movement required and if successful it is pointing toward the oncoming traffic. This option needs to be deleted.

3. CIRCULATION SPACE/SHARED AREA

This is clearly defined as is the location of the bollard. However, a question arises as to whether all this space is required to exit/enter a vehicle (AS2890.6 Fig 2 next page).

The bollard is located to prevent unauthorised access to the shared area. It also acknowledges that the 800mm at the front or rear of the shared area is not required for essential circulation except to pass through to get out of the shared area.

The shape of shared area is a rectangle but wheelchairs turn in circles so the corners are non-required spaces in the shared area (in a similar way that the toilet circulation has accepted rounded corners to the circulation space).

The constraints on columns in the shared area needs to be made clear as they do exist in all multilevel buildings but the size, location and intrusion possibilities in the shared area is not defined.