Mobility scooter parking probed

Users of mobility scooters could soon have their own parking spaces in the Wanganui CBD.

The Wanganui District Council Parking Management Plan says due to an increasing number of people using the scooters, which cannot be driven on the road, dedicated parking for them should be investigated.

Such parks would be placed on widened mid-block footpath areas or at the end of a block where the kerb and footpath were flush.

A survey of Wanganui scooter owners last year identified a significant number of scooters were the user's main transport.

"For these scooter users, parking and walking a block is a reasonable option if they could safely leave their vehicles parked.

"This will potentially reduce the volume of scooter footpath traffic."

District councillor Sue Westwood suggested at a recent council meeting provision should also be made for scooters' batteries to be charged at these parks.