Report illegal parking in disabled parking bays in Laois, meeting told
A text scheme that is already being used to deter able-bodied drivers from parking illegally in disabled parking bays.
THE issue of able-bodied drivers illegally parking in designated disabled blue badge disabled parking bays around Portlaoise was raised at the June meeting of councillors from the district.
A suggestion was put forward as to one way of dissuading illegal parking in these bays and that is to place a contact number on the signs in the bays where people who spot those illegally parking can text the traffic wardens, who could then come and resolve the problem.
In calling on the council to address the issue of disabled parking areas being occupied by non-permit holders in the town, cllr Tommy Mulligan said: “This is a regular occurrence around the town in the disabled parking areas. I know there are no controls in such parking bays in shopping centres or in privately owned areas, but it’s happening in public parking areas, throughout the town. People are parking in disabled bays and don’t have permits (blue badges).”
He said that disabled drivers who hold such parking permits pay for them.
“It’s deeply frustrating for them. They have physical challenges,” said cllr Mulligan. “They end up driving around (looking for a vacant disabled parking bay) and in often cases, end up driving home. There’s a lack of empathy out there with the public. People don’t seem to care.”
He asked how often do the traffic wardens patrol and monitor disabled parking bays in the town?
Cllr Mulligan on to suggest, “could we maybe put some form of a notification or a sticker on the (disabled parking) signs, so if there was somebody parking in them without a permit, a number could be texted straight to the traffic wardens, who could then come and address the situation or issue a fine. Is it something we could do? It would be a good way of dealing with the problem.”
Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley said: “The traffic wardens are doing a great job around the town. They have a very big area to cover. They’re on the streets the whole time. I do know that they are strict with anyone they see parking in a disabled parking bay without a permit and fair play to them, they have my full support on that. I have seen them dealing with people in these bays and unfortunately they get terrible abuse. They have an awful job to do and I can tell you, the public aren’t simple to deal with if a ticket is being given out. I’ve seen them being abused to the height. It’s the one thing I can’t abide by. Nobody should be parked in a disabled parking bay without a permit.”
Cllr John Joe Fennelly said: “This is certainly not the fault of the traffic wardens. It’s driver behaviour. Anyone who hasn’t got a disabled parking permit should not be parking in those bays. It’s as simple as that. Maybe we should look at increasing the fines.”
Cllr Barry Walsh agreed: “There should be some sort of a reporting mechanism or maybe higher fines? The traffic wardens are doing their jobs. I see them out and patrolling regularity in all weathers.”
“It is driver behaviour said cllr Marie Tuohy. “It has always been a pet hate of mine. Now I have a (disabled parking) badge on the car and it’s often the time that people just give up (looking for a vacant disabled parking bay) and go home. It‘s not ok for people to park in them and say they’re only going into the shop for a minute, or there wasn’t another parking space. It’s extremely selfish. People need those spaces.”
The Disabled Drivers Association of Ireland (DDAI) highlighted a text alert scheme that is already active in Gorey, Co Wexford, and in Lucan and Rathfarnham in Dublin. The scheme allows people to alert the traffic warden if someone is parked in one of the accessible bays without a permit or is misusing a permit.
The DDAI said it would like all local authorities across the country to adopt the scheme.
