Abuse of disabled parking bays

Motorists abusing the disabled parking spaces in Mullingar were the subject of criticism from Mullingar’s mayor, Cllr Bill Collentine, at the September monthly meeting of Mullingar Municipal District (MMDC).

Cllr Collentine called on the Mullingar Municipal District to review all disabled parking bays in the town to ensure that all areas are adequately serviced and that no person with a wheelchair pass is prohibited or blocked from parking in Mullingar.

The response from the MMDC stated that persons holding a disabled permit are entitled to use that permit in both disabled bays and regular parking spaces, having regard to the time restrictions for the particular zone.

“The traffic wardens in the Mullingar Municipal District implement the Mullingar parking, traffic and car park bye-laws which includes the monitoring of all disabled spaces,” the response concluded.

A motorist who parked in a disabled bay in Athlone was disqualified from driving for two months by Judge Seamus Hughes in Athlone District Court last Wednesday.