An investigation is underway following a complaint by a disabled driver who missed an important doctor’s appointment because a traffic warden’s van was parked in a disabled space.
The claims were made by the Galway pensioner in a letter of complaint to the City Council’s Chief Executive, Brendan McGrath.
The vulnerable 75-years-old with a disability, who has a disabled parking permit, complains that he couldn’t avail of two disabled parking spaces at Prospect Hill one day in July because of illegal parking.
One space was taken by an authorised vehicle with a permit, but the other was occupied by a traffic warden’s van, which caused him “upset and anger”.
However, the Council has said it is satisfied that the space in question has been “extinguised” as a disabled bay and is now used for the tourist train. A spokespersonsaid two new disabled spaces have been put in place “25 yards up the road”.
Photographs to support the pensioner’s claim were submitted to the Council.
A spokesperson said the complaint was only received by the Chief Executive on Thursday, and the Roads Department hadn’t yet assessed it.
He said it is “quite possible” that the disabled parking space has been extinguished and moved to another part of Prospect Hill.
But he said the complaint will be “fully investigated” and the Council would revert back to the complainant. The Council subsequently said the space had been extinguished and was no longer for disabled; but conceded blue paint markings were still on the road.
The disabled pensioner wrote: “I sought to park my vehicle on one of two disabled parking spaces at Prospect House, Prospect Hill, in order to attend an important doctor’s appointment. I found myself unable to do so, however, as both spaces were occupied – one by an authorised vehicle and one by the traffic warden’s van. I double-parked temporarily and circled the one-way system a number of times, waiting for one of the parking spaces to be vacated, but neither of them were. I missed the doctor’s appointment as a result.
“I dropped my passenger off to investigate whether the parking space could be vacated to make room for my vehicle but he was unable to locate the driver.”
The letter adds: “I rely on two things to ensure their availability when they are required: the common decency of fellow motorists, and the vigilance of traffic wardens to ensure that relevant laws are upheld. If those who are charged with enforcing parking laws don’t even obey them, what authority have they to impose them on others? Why should an ordinary motorist take instruction from such an official?
“And, who suffers at the end of the day? The vulnerable motorist who relies on traffic wardens to uphold parking laws in order to ensure the availability of accessible parking spaces.”
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