Appeal to Limerick motorists to 'think before you park' this summer

LIMERICK City and County Council is appealing to motorists who are driving to visit family and friends this to ‘Think before you Park’.

With most schools now closed for the simmer, the Council is urging drivers across the city and county to park in a safe and appropriate way and to follow the rules of the road when parking. 

The appeal, which has been launched this Monday, is for motorists to park responsibly and be aware of cyclists, pedestrians, wheelchairs users, the visually impaired, older people, those pushing strollers and the elderly using mobility scooters.

"A small percentage of motorists continue to park on footpaths, block cycle lanes or stop on streets with double yellow lines, just to ‘pop into the shop for a few seconds’ or when visiting friends in other housing estates. However, their actions can have a hugely negative effect on vulnerable people forcing them out onto the road, where it is unsafe," said a spokesperson.

Mayor of the City and County of Limerick, Cllr Michael Collins, said: “We are all looking forward to getting out and about to visit shops and restaurants this summer and enjoy ourselves. We will, no doubt, be calling over to friends and family who live in other parts of Limerick, parking outside their homes. However some vulnerable people are unable to get about in a safe manner due to the actions of a minority of motorists. It is so much easier to park properly in Limerick than illegally, so I’m appealing to motorists to think before they park and park safely.”

The outgoing Mayor is specifically appealing to drivers and motorcycles must not park in any way that interferes with the normal flow of traffic or which obstructs other road users either on a road or footpath. "Parking on a footpath can compromise pedestrian safety and cause preventable collisions by forcing people to step onto a busy road to avoid an obstruction," he said.

“This is a road safety issue as pedestrians are being put in danger, potentially in the path of cars, buses, or cyclists. I am calling on all drivers to take responsibility for their actions and be more considerate of all road users including the most vulnerable,” he added.

Those visiting Limerick city are being reminded there are more than 3,500 on-street car parking spaces as well as numerous off site car parks.

See limerickparking.ie.