Mayo town to stage 'protest' action over illegal use of disabled spaces
The protest-style event over the illegal use of disabled car parking spaces takes place in Belmullet on Friday. Pic: iStock.
A Mayo organisation is leading a campaign to crack down on motorists illegally taking up disabled car parking spaces.
“I’ll just leave my car in the disabled car parking space for five minutes”, is a common refrain, but Belmullet’s Irish Wheelchair Association’s Local Access Group has had enough.
This Friday they will takes matter into their own hands on Main Street, Belmullet through the Back In 5 campaign.
During this day of action, several wheelchairs will be parked unexpectedly in car parking spaces around the town, to put the brakes on this illegal parking. This campaign will be supported by Community Gardai.
There are currently almost 75,000 Disabled Drivers Parking Permits in circulation in Ireland. The availability of wheelchair accessible parking spaces is an essential lifeline for motorists with disabilities. Yet far too often these spaces are occupied by able-bodied drivers.
‘Back in 5’ reminds motorists that it is an offence to park in a disabled parking space without an official Disabled Drivers Parking Permit. Offenders are dealt a fixed charge notice for €150, rising to €225 if not paid in the first 28 days, which results in a very expensive five minutes.
National Access Programme Manager with the Irish Wheelchair Association Rosaleen Lally stated that the Back in 5 campaign will be rolled out nationally to highlight the abuse of disabled parking spaces.
“The campaign is a protest style event designed to show able-bodied people the frustrations people with disabilities face when accessible spaces are abused,” said Ms Lally.
Service Coordinator in Belmullet Clare McNamara said the availability of wheelchair accessible parking spaces is vital for disabled drivers and the actions of irresponsible motorists must halt.
“Yet far too often these spaces are occupied by able-bodied drivers. The initiative involves a regular car space on the street taking up by an empty wheelchair parked in it with a note pinned to the back with messages such as 'Be back in 5 minutes'/ 'Just gone to the bank,' or 'Just running in for a coffee.' These are throw away statements that people with disabilities encounter every day when people use accessible spaces that do not need them,” Ms McNamara stated.
