MAN’S CBD DISABLED PARKING STRUGGLE

Corio crash victim calls on City to fix disabled issue

A LACK of all-day disabled parking in Geelong is the latest setback in Simon Verhoeven’s long and difficult recovery from a 2013 motorcycle crash.

The Corio 46-year-old, pictured, has spent the past five years getting his life back on track after a driver pulled out in front of him as he was riding his motorbike down Thompson Rd in Norlane.

Mr Verhoeven can’t remember the crash, but knows its aftermath: an acquired brain injury; five fractured ribs; a punctured lung; fractured femur, tibia, fibula and dislocated ankle in his left leg; a de-gloving injury to his left leg; and psychological damage.

A key part of Mr Verhoeven’s recovery has been his return to work, but a lack of all-day disabled parking in Geelong has become the latest obstacle for him to overcome after his company moved to Ryrie St.

“I went back to work in between the operations for a little while and slowly increased my hours to what I’m working now: 6.5 hours a day, four days a week,” he said. “But the problem is there’s nowhere near work for me to park my car.”

“There are disabled carparks around town — including one outside work — but they’re for two hours only. I contacted the council and they said there was an all-day disabled car park outside the Victorian Government Office, but that’s always occupied, so that’s no help.

“I was told it’s not as easy as them changing the time limit on one of the two-hour disabled car parks to fix the problem and that couldn’t be done.”

The Transport Accident Commission had provided Mr Verhoeven with taxi fares to and from work, but it is a form of support that has not been possible to continue on an ongoing basis.

Currently Mr Verhoeven is catching a bus to work each day, but the walk from his Corio home to the nearest bus stop is proving difficult with his injuries.

“I’m still undergoing rehabilitation five years later and have to do hydrotherapy regularly and take medication daily, about six pain killers each day, to help relieve the constant pain,” he said. “I’ve put my name down with the council if any private carparks come up, but there are none available and there’s something like a two-year waiting list, which is frustrating. This is yet another setback but it seems impossible to resolve.”

Mr Verhoeven’s Maurice Blackburn lawyer Caitlin Stove had been attempting to help find a solution to his parking woes.

“We’ve approached the TAC and Simon has approached the council to see if there’s anything they can do to help him out on a more permanent basis to no avail,” Ms Stove said.

“The disabled carparks available in town either do not cover the period of Simon’s work day, or they are too far away from his work, given his reduced walking tolerance, so they’re no use to him.”

Central Geelong has about 200 disabled parking spots, with a range of varying time limits.

Mr Verhoeven is now hoping a business on Ryrie St near Latrobe Terrace might have a spare, largesized carpark available for his use, but knows it’s a big ask. “It’s a long shot, I know, but it would make a big difference to me,” he said.