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Disabled persons parking permit
Ministry of interior affairs
Netherlands

The Problem

The Netherlands is a densily populated area in which space is scares. To increase the mobility in cities paid parking places are introduced. To accomodate the disabled people certain parking places are reserved for these people. One can park a car if the special european model parking permit for diaabled people is located behind the windshield of the car. These parking places enable the people to be mobile and most of the time free of charges. In the Netherlands there is misuse of these places due to no special parking permit is available or the show permit is no longer valid, due to expiration or theft. One of the measures to combat the misuse is an major increase of the parkingfines as per 2012. However, this measure will increase the benefits of the theft of permits from cars. A result of this risk of theft (including the damages to the car) is that disabled people no longer feel secure to park their car at the special reserverd places and stay at home. This will reduce their mobility. Currently the enforcement officer is not able to check the validity of the parking permit on the streat. This is due to the fact that a registration at the municipality office is lacking, or the registration is not shared with other municipalities.

Solution and Key Benefits

 What is the initiative about? (the solution)
The solution is to centralize the registration the validity of the parking permits issued through the municipality at a national level.
This centralized registration can be inquired by the law enforcement officer through handheld devices on the street. It is also forseen that civilians will be able to check the validity of the permit through the use of internet.

Actors and Stakeholders

 Who proposed the solution, who implemented it and who were the stakeholders?
The proposal for these solutions was done by the ministry of interior affairs. By Erna Bijl de Vroe.
This solution was designed and adopted by a steering committee in which the following stakeholders were present: the National counsil for Disabled people, The association of the Dutch Municipalities, and several municipalities who also perform the parking enforcement.

(a) Strategies

 Describe how and when the initiative was implemented by answering these questions
 a.      What were the strategies used to implement the initiative? In no more than 500 words, provide a summary of the main objectives and strategies of the initiative, how they were established and by whom.
Keep it Simpel. Use existing systems and organizations to implement the solution.
No adjustment of laws and regulations. Initiative is based on trust and commitment from the municipalities to cooperate without a legel basis.
Step by step appraoch. do not try to solve all the problems in one big step but step by step. Think and do, rethink and Do.

(b) Implementation

 b.      What were the key development and implementation steps and the chronology? No more than 500 words
Commitment at the steering group level for the solution.
Simple solution without adjustments to laws and regulations.
Use of proven technology and existing organizations.
Supply the financial means to realize the solution.

(c) Overcoming Obstacles

 c.      What were the main obstacles encountered? How were they overcome? No more than 500 words
The parties involved all wanted to maximize their benefits. The board of the disabled people wanted a 100% waterproof solution, the municipalities didnot want to pay or spend extra time in the enforcement effort. Both parties understood and recognized the problem and in the end agreed not to the perfect solution, but a compromise based on trust and a major step in the right direction.

(d) Use of Resources

 d.      What resources were used for the initiative and what were its key benefits? In no more than 500 words, specify what were the financial, technical and human resources’ costs associated with this initiative. Describe how resources were mobilized
financial initial investment of 150.000 euro
no increase in the workload of a law enforcement officer.
The measures taken are highly visable to the general public and the disabled people.

Sustainability and Transferability

  Is the initiative sustainable and transferable?
This proble of the theft of parking permits does not stop at the national border. These parking permits are valid in all Eurpean countries. A coherent and integrated appraoch in Europe will reduce the feeling of not feeling save to travel and use their permit by the disabled people and increase their mobility and participation in our society.

Lessons Learned

 What are the impact of your initiative and the lessons learned?
Commitment and inspiration of Erna to come to a solution.
Keep it simple and do it appraoch to the problems olving.
Low costs and no legal hassle.

Contact Information

Institution Name:   Ministry of interior affairs
Institution Type:   Government Agency  
Contact Person:   Erna Bijl de Vroe
Title:   Beleidsmedewerker  
Telephone/ Fax:   +3170-4267051
Institution's / Project's Website:   www.rijksoverheid.nl
E-mail:   erna.bijldevroe@minbzk.nl  
Address:   Schedeldoekshaven 200
Postal Code:   Postbus 20011
City:   The Haque
State/Province:  
Country:   Netherlands

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