Fines for parking in bus stops may go up

 Fines would increase for parking in a bus stop, and MBTA Transit Police would have an easier time writing tickets under a bill waiting on Gov. Deval Patrick’s desk.

Regular T bus riders know that parked cars blocking their bus stops can be a common occurrence — and one that transportation officials and advocates for riders with disabilities call a dangerous practice.

Cities and towns set their own fines for the infraction, but under proposed legislation that passed the House and the Senate last week, all fines would be increased to $100. In Boston, the fine is now $55.

In addition, transit police officers now must issue citations from a ticket book from the municipality where the violation takes place. But the new legislation would allow officers to write tickets with a universal ticket book, rather than carry around books from several cities and towns.

Bill Henning, director of the Boston Center for Independent Living, said the MBTA has improved accessibility for riders with disabilities in recent years, in large part stemming from a landmark settlement in 2006. But he said “one of remaining barriers is the bus being able to pull to curb.”

“If you park there for a half hour, two hours, you’ve really obstructed access,” Henning said.