Enforcement needed to address 'the scourge of footpath parking' says councillor
Significant action is needed to address “the scourge of footpath parking” which is making getting around Dublin extremely difficult for those with disabilities.
That’s according to Social Democrats Councillor Cat O’Driscoll who has called on Dublin City Council to “develop a comprehensive strategy” in tackling this long-standing problem. She cited a 2024 Your Dublin Your Voice survey which revealed 75% of caregivers reported vehicles blocking their way with prams and buggies.
As an issue that not only causes substantial damage to footpaths as heavy cars crack the ground, this also acts as a safety hazard as wheelchair users end up going on main roads in order to get past. Cllr O’Driscoll said she ran safety audits in the Cabra-Glasnevin area and found several instances of “footpaths being damaged by the weight of cars.”
Social Democrats Cllr Paddy Monahan revealed he’s well aware of the size of this issue as his mother is a wheelchair user. “I can’t stress enough how important this is. Mentality is the problem, infrastructure can change,” he said. He called for a zero tolerance approach when it comes to parking on footpaths and said it’s important to “change the way people think.”
“I’ve been to so many public meetings where people complain about cyclists on the footpath and in reality it's cars parking on the footpath which are the problem. Dublin City Council needs to crack down on this,” he said.
Independent Cllr Gavin Pepper said he too is all too aware of this issue as his mother also uses a wheelchair and he drives a wheelchair accessible taxi. “This affects loads of people,” he said.
“People are parking on footpaths all of the time and outside people’s houses. I’ve put in requests for bollards to block them which we shouldn’t have to do,” he said.
“Mothers can’t get past with prams and this has been going on for years. In smaller streets people in wheelchairs are going off the path to go on the road and they shouldn’t have to do that. Enforcement needs to happen and fines need to be issued to people who park on paths.”
However, this is an issue that will require real “bravery” on the part of the council according to Green Party Cllr Janet Horner. She said that Dublin “desperately” needs to increase resources relating to parking and that this includes enforcement.
“That means enforcing where it’s unpopular in some neighbourhoods to resist footpath parking. We will need to make some brave decisions because there can be a lot of resistance to changes in parking as we all know,” she said.
The council manager’s response stated that footpath parking has always been illegal, but they are conscious around how to best utilise the parking enforcement team and what issues to prioritise. They said this topic will be brought to a future Mobility and Public Realm SPC meeting, where council members can agree on what changes in parking enforcement prioritisation are required.
The importance of providing ample space on footpaths for those with disabilities is highlighted every year during the annual Make Way Day . This year’s Make Way Day took place on September 25 and highlighted the footpath blockages faced by those with limited mobility across Dublin and Ireland.
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