Disabled drivers campaign for new Garda powers to fine illegally parked motorists

Disabled drivers are calling on the government to introduce new laws granting power to Gardai and traffic wardens to fine motorists parking illegally in private accessible bays. 

The Disabled Drivers Association of Ireland (DDAI) launched their Bay Watch Campaign yesterday (January 30), which aims to highlight what they call "the ongoing abuse of" disabled parking bays in places like shopping centres, hospitals and other spaces. 

It comes following a survey conducted by Coyne Research, which found a lack of knowledge about existing legislation among the public and also among disabled drivers themselves. 

Communications and marketing manager for the DDAI, Richard Ryder, said, "Our Bay Watch campaign has been launched to tackle the anomaly in the current legislation whereby those parking illegally in accessible bays in private carparks are allowed to get away with it. It should not be left solely to the private car park owners to manage the problem.

"Our research has shown that such a move has the backing of the public who also support the prosecution of illegal parkers, not just the handing out of fines. 

"We are also urging the local authorities to be more proactive in enforcing existing regulations and crucially, verifying parking permits. Almost 70% of our members said their disabled parking permit had never been inspected by either traffic wardens, the gardai or private car park operators and 96% of our members want more action in tackling disabled parking bay abuse."

The Coyne Research revealed 42% of those surveyed believed that a traffic warden or Garda can issue a parking fine to someone parked in a disabled bay in a private carpark. 

Seven in ten of those surveyed said that those who illegally park in disabled parking bays should face prosecution, not just fines. 

A separate survey of 800 DDAI members revealed that one third (33%) were unaware that the Gardai do not have the powers to impose fines on illegal parking in private bays, with 95% of these respondents agreeing that those who illegally park in accessible bays should face prosecution. 

Commenting on the launch of the Bay Watch campaign, disabled driver and disability equality campaigner, Sean O’Kelly, said, "I am delighted to see such an initiative being brought out. As a wheelchair user and a driver, I often see cars parked in disabled spaces without a parking badge in shopping centre and private car parks. I hope that effective enforcement will be made in the near future." 

DDAI member and wheelchair user Aisling Grouden from Dunshaughlin has been driving since she was 21 and has always relied totally on her car to attend college, for her busy job, for grocery shopping and general independence. 

Safe and accessible parking bays are very important to Aisling, who said that she has experience of seeing cars parking in disabled parking bays that shouldn’t be there, not only in some of the larger shopping centre carparks but also outside smaller supermarkets. 

She said, "I never knew until now that traffic wardens and garden weren’t allowed to issue tickets in places like supermarkets, shopping centres and colleges and I am certainly not alone in wanting to see the law changed on this. I think it would make a huge difference to people’s willingness to chance parking  in accessible parking bays in these places without a permit, if they came out and found a €150 fine on their windscreen. 

"I do remember a few situations where if there was someone parked in a bay without a permit, I would go in and report it to the shop. I'd rarely approach another driver on my own for safety reasons. One time I did go up to a woman myself and all she said was that she was still going to park there!"