Council told to tackle 'consistent abuse' of disabled parking bays in Dundalk

Louth County Council have been told it needs to introduce a new text alert system to crackdown on illegal parking across the county. 

The motion was tabled by Independent councillor Maeve Yore at the March meeting of Louth County Council. 

Cllr Yore called on the local authority to be "proactive rather than reactive" on the issue. 

She said there is a "consistent abuse of disabled parking bays" in Dundalk town centre and named Church Street as a prominent location for illegal parking. 

The Independent councillor said a text alert system is an "immediate tool that we could have to address the escalating problem of parking in disabled parking bays."

The motion received cross-party support, with Fine Gael councillor for Ardee Rachel Kerley saying people with disabilities have been "left as 2nd class citizens". 

She said people in wheelchairs are having to put themselves at risk and go onto "a busy road" to get past cars that are parked on footpaths. 

Cllr Kerley called for a "simplified solution" such as reporting licence plates, and said that by the time traffic wardens arrive to the scene, the drivers have already gone. 

Independent councillor Ciarán Fisher supported the motion and said it is a growing problem in Dundalk.

"It's a growing problem people, with parking on footpaths and double-yellow lines. It's because people are getting away with it, and we need more enforcement. Every time I go out I will see an infraction of some point," he said. 

Cllr Fisher said the technology already exists to "flag it and get the warden out a bit quicker". 

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The meeting heard that the problem is also happening in Drogheda.

Independent councillor Declan Power said people are "blatantly" parking in disabled bays on a daily basis and suggested that bays could be numbered to allow for easier reporting. 

Labour councillor Pio Smith added that illegal parking regularly taking place on West Street in the town.

He said: "Providers of takeaway services, who are going around town delivering meals in the evening time just park their car in certain disabled parking bays." 

Cllr Smith questioned if Gardaí are monitoring CCTV in the town and said he would fully support "anything that can be done in regards to speeding up the response to address this issue". 

In response to the motion, Louth County Council said "members of the public who wish to report incidents of illegal parking in disabled bays can do so by contacting out Customer Services team" who will then refer it to the traffic section, who then arranges for a traffic warden to investigate the matter. 

Cllr Yore said she did not accept the "first half of the response" and said "when there's a will there's a way."

However, Louth County Council did say "the possibility of enabling reports of illegal parking through its new "Customer Relationship Management" (CRM) system is being examined. 

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.