A mobility parking app in Tauranga has gone live.

Access Aware, the name of the app, has the potential to be very useful for all disabled people, their families, and whanau.

Brought to you by CCS Disability Action and Saferme, Access Aware will significantly improve everyday access issues that prevent many people from fully participating in their communities.

The app is free and easy it use, and it could help change the accessibility landscape in New Zealand by supporting people to locate mobility parks and to report incidents where vehicles not displaying a mobility permit are parked illegally.

The free Access Aware app is available nationwide but requires each council, or private carpark provider to sign up to it before it is activated. Tauranga City Council will join Christchurch, Wellington, and Hutt City council as early adapters of this new technology.

'We are delighted that Tauranga City Council has taken the initiative to join other councils around New Zealand as early adaptors of the Access Aware app,” says Chief executive of CCS Disability Action David Matthews.

'Feedback from our more than 150,000 mobility parking permit holders would indicate that frustration with mobility parking misuse is at an all-time high.

'We regularly hear that people without a permit, park in a mobility car because they are ‘just going to be a couple of minutes' or ‘they didn't see the sign'. However, the reality is that mobility car parks have been created for a reason and there is no excuse to use one if you do not have a valid permit.

'Tauranga City Council has really stepped up by agreeing to use the Access Aware app and we commend them highly for showing this kind of leadership,” says David.

Tauranga City Council community development advisor Kieran Wall says through the implementation of the disability strategy, the council has a goal to make the city more accessible for the 28 per cent of the population living with a disability.

'It's great to see how technology like this app can support people with disabilities to live active and engaged lived and we can't wait to see it go live,” says Kieran.

Members of the disability community, their friends and families are able to download the app from Google Play or the Apple store, by searching ‘Access Aware'.

There is a dedicated helpline for questions and technical issues on 0508 227 322 which is available between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.