Chadstone under fire for moving disabled parking to accommodate a valet service

Melbourne’s biggest shopping centre has been criticised for removing car parks for the disabled and parents with prams, and replacing them with a valet parking service.

Councillor Sally Davis, from Stonnington Council, discovered the change during a recent trip to Chadstone Shopping Centre.

“It was a bit of a shock to me,” she told 3AW’s Tony Jones.

The shopping centre has 130 disabled parking spaces, and centre management says there has not been a reduction in the number of disabled parking spots provided as a result of the change.

But Cr Sally Davis said the change was concerning, as the removed parks were in a very convenient location for the disabled and parents with prams.

“I consider it to be somewhat mercenary, if not elitist,” she said.

“I don’t know where they’ve made similar replacements.”

Cr Davis said she already receives many complaints about Chadstone parking problems, and the issues are only getting worse.

“I have concerns for the residents who live nearby because this impacts on them,” she said.

“I have reports of neighbours who have people parking over their driveways.”

Chadstone has 10,000 car parks available, and receives 23 million visitors per year.

Stonnington Council was not consulted about the change.

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