It’s National Make Way Day & you’re being asked to make a concerted effort to consider others around you.
Especially those with mobility issues who may require extra space on local streets and to do your bit to ensure the proper use of designated parking.
A Disability Federation of Ireland campaign got underway at 7 o’clock this morning & will continue nationwide to 7 o’clock this evening.
Gardai too are helping out – speaking today at Garda Headquarters, Chief Superintendent Raymond McMahon of the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau, said, “We are urging drivers to be conscious of other road users, particularly those with impaired mobility and disability by asking them not to park on footpaths or use designated disabled parking bays without a proper permit”.
He adds “As part of Operation Enable An Garda Síochána have targeted offences relating to the improper use of disabled parking bays. Since 2017 we have issued over 18,000 fines, even in this year with Coronavirus we have issued over 1,800 fines”.
In conclusion Chief Superintendent McMahon notes “Please be conscious of the needs of others and remember that using hazard lights does not entitle you to park where you wish”.
An Garda Síochána would also ask all motorists to park legally today and every day.
Eamon Cleere is a disabled parking monitor with Kilkenny County Council. He says “The public should already know to leave some more room for wheelchair users, people with limited mobility, to just move around more freely to do their own things”.
He adds for those who have issues or want to know more “You can check out makewayday.com and update the online team of your concerns”.
Eamon concludes by saying ” stay safe but of course make way always”
PJ Cleere is with Disability Federation of Ireland and County Carlow Universal Access Movement – he’s been telling KCLR News it’s a public awareness day noting “That public awareness is about the likes of cars and vans parked on footpaths, bicycles badly parked blocking paths, bins left out for a day or two and it’s not meant to be a finger-wagging exercise, it’s actually meant to just raise peoples awareness of the issues for people with disabilities and we do that one special day a year with the support of the local authorities, the PPNs and others”.
Typically, activities for the day include lightly stickering vehicles that are in the way to gently remind their drivers to not block access. But this year, due to the global pandemic, most of the activity is online though – such as this video which stars Gemma Willis from Tullow in Carlow:
