Municipality΄s response to citizen΄s complaint regarding Lower Square car park

The citizen complained about the great inconvenience suffered by his family with a person with special needs during the Easter holidays. When his wife arrived at the Lower Square car park, she found that all the Special Needs parking spaces were occupied by cars that did not carry the special needs sign, with the exception of one car.
 
He sent a letter of complaint to the Corfu MPs, the Central Corfu Municipal Councillors and the Ionian Islands Regional Councillors. 
 
According to the citizen, the Traffic Police was called out and shortly after two policemen arrived at the scene on bicycles. "They informed my wife verbally that the work concerning the Special Needs parking space markings will be carried out after the Easter holidays and that until that work is completed, the open-air car park has no Special Needs parking spaces. In conclusion, there is no violation."
 
 
No employees
 
As he said in his letter, when his wife entered the car park, she realised that there was no employee present there, while there was a sign informing that there are 14 Special Needs parking spaces. “Arriving at the Special Needs parking spaces, she noticed that there were 7 blue-coloured spaces, where only one sign with the International Symbol of Access had been installed, while in all the Special Needs parking spaces, there was no signage with the International Symbol of Access on the ground”.
 
“This was actually expected, as the free entrance to the car park, combined with the absence of an employee, does not provide any assurance that these specific parking spaces will only be used by the actual beneficiaries”, added the citizen who send the letter.
 
“The Central Corfu Municipality, in the midst of the Easter period, not only excluded visitors, citizens and permanent residents with special needs and their families both from the Easter events and from visiting the Corfu Town historic centre, but at the same time deprived them of the opportunity to claim the right to have the abovementioned exclusion lifted”.
 
 
Deputy Mayor Giorgos Pantelios: Transitional period
 
The Deputy Mayor responsible for the car park Giorgos Pantelios told Enimerosi that the operation of the park is in a transitional period. “These days,” he added, “until the car park is in its final form, there will be some inconvenience because work is still being carried out and it will be completed in stages with some spaces being closed off at a time. The problems will be able to be sorted out once it is upgraded. But we the car park to remain open in ordet to decongest the surrounding area.”
 
 
Deputy Mayor Nikos Kalogeros: Thoughtless citizens
 
“The Special Needs parking spaces are 14 and not 7”, said the Deputy Mayor for Technical Workd Nikos Kalogeros, “and the area is now licensed since April 17. I know that the man is right, he was outraged because he found the parking spaces occupied by other vehicles without a Special Needs sign. There are thoughtless citizens who have no respect for anything, we see it every day. They have no respect for the Special Needs parking spaces, nor the signage, nor the bollards. They have already broken a sign and we will replace it. At night, after 10 o'clock when the car park is free, they come in and park wherever they want.”
 
“Once the parking lot is upgraded and the electronically-controlled parking system is installed, these issues will be addressed. The new system will be installed by May 18 and there will be rules regarding its operation, as well as employees to monitor the park.”