Finding a car park close to the entrance can be frustrating for anyone, but for many older Australians it can become the difference between getting out into the community or staying home.
Now, one Perth council is trialling a new approach aimed at making life a little easier for seniors who do not qualify for disability parking permits but still struggle with mobility, fatigue or walking longer distances.
The trial, introduced by City of Stirling, began on May 18 and will run for 12 weeks until August 9 across selected libraries and leisure centres.
Under the initiative, 20 parking bays across 10 locations have been temporarily converted into “Priority Parking For Seniors” spaces positioned closer to facility entrances.
Importantly, the bays are not legally enforceable and there is no permit system. Instead, the council is relying on community courtesy and self-identification.
The move comes after feedback from older residents who said parking access was becoming increasingly difficult, particularly during busy periods.
“Our older residents have told us about their struggles with parking, and we want them to know that we are listening,” Deputy Mayor Karlo Perkov said.
The bays are separate from Western Australia’s ACROD parking system, which is reserved for people with significant mobility restrictions or blindness.
Council officials say the new spaces are designed for seniors who may not meet the threshold for a disability permit but would still benefit from shorter walking distances.
That can include older people managing fatigue, arthritis, balance issues, reduced confidence, heat sensitivity or general mobility decline associated with ageing.
The City said the trial acknowledges that ageing affects people differently and deliberately avoids setting a strict age requirement.
“People experience ageing differently, and use of the bays is based on self-identification and provided as a courtesy rather than through enforcement,” the council explained.
The arrangement is similar to pram parking bays at shopping centres, where drivers are expected to respect the intended purpose rather than face fines or penalties.
The priority bays are being trialled at five Stirling Libraries locations:
They are also being introduced at five Stirling Leisure Centres:
Each site has two dedicated senior parking spaces located close to entrances and marked with bright green signage.
Council volunteers transporting older residents are also permitted to use the bays.
The City of Stirling, located in Perth’s northern suburbs, has a population of around 254,000 residents, with approximately 20 per cent aged over 60.
As Australia’s population continues to age, councils and businesses are increasingly being forced to rethink how public spaces are designed and accessed.
While disability parking remains protected under law, there has long been a gap for older Australians who face genuine mobility challenges but do not qualify for formal assistance schemes.
The Stirling trial is one of the first local government initiatives in Australia to directly address that grey area.
Some shopping centres already offer informal senior parking, including Perth’s Bull Creek Central, but the City’s program is notable because it is being run by a local council and tied to a formal community consultation process.
The trial has also sparked debate about fairness and parking availability.
Because two general parking bays at each site have been reallocated, some residents may question whether the change reduces parking access for other users.
The City acknowledges the trial will not solve broader parking shortages, but says it is intended as a practical test focused on access and inclusion.
Importantly, council officials say understanding whether the bays are respected, ignored, misused or underused is part of the experiment itself.
Residents are being encouraged to complete a survey during the trial period, with feedback potentially informing future discussions around parking policy and local laws.
Whether the concept expands beyond Stirling could depend on how strongly older residents embrace the idea, and whether the broader community is willing to honour the courtesy-based system.
