Clamping and parking fines are not enough to stop people parking on footpaths, according to Green Party councillor.

North-Inner City representative Janet Horner is calling for a major new information campaign highlighting the impact parking on footpaths can have.

On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, she said most people “simply wouldn’t do it” if they knew how disabling it can be for people.

“For the most part there is just a real lack of awareness of just how antisocial a behaviour it can be for people,” she said.

“In the area I am in, I regularly see people parking up on the footpath just to dash into a shop.

“Mainly, they’re thinking, ‘I don’t want to block what can be a very busy road particularly at rush hour so the best thing for me to do is get out of the way of the traffic and pop up on the footpath.

“That can mean that the footpath is effectively completely impassable to somebody with vision impairment.

“Or, if you have a buggy, you regularly have to hop with a baby into heavy and fast-moving traffic in order to get around the vehicle.

“If you’re in wheelchair, it can also be impossible.

“So, what can be a sort of simple, ‘oh I’m just popping into the shop’ can actually be a disabling and at times, dangerous thing to do for other people.”

Clamping

She said clamping and parking fines are not enough to address the issue.

“I think up to now, we have really relied on enforcement,” she said.

“So, we’ve had clamping and fixed charge penalty notices - people can get on the spot fines - but really that has not been enough to change behaviours.

“One thing I really want to do is have a lot more awareness of this. For Dublin City Council (DCC) and other authorities to take the lead in putting out a really strong message to say, footpaths are not for parking, they are not for cars.

“I think there are a lot of people who, if they were just thinking it through and had a little bit more forethought into how potentially inconsiderate their behaviour is to somebody else, they simply wouldn’t do it.”

Information campaign

She called on DCC management to “bring through a costed, detailed strategy” in response to the issue.

“What they have brought to us every time so far is just, ‘We’re going to do fixed charge penalty notices, we’re going to do enforcement,’” she said.

“What I am saying now is enforcement alone is not enough and we need to look at other means.”

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