Illegal parking blocking paths for Laois pedestrians with disabilities

Motorists are reported to be parking in front of tactile paving in Laois, right where people with visual disabilities step off the path to cross roads.

Cllr Barry Walsh claims that several incidents have been reported to him.

He is calling on Laois County Council to start painting double yellow lines on the road beside every crossing zone with the bumpy paving. 

"I want it introduced district wide. It's not just specific locations," he said, tabling a motion on it to the April meeting of the Portlaoise Municipal District.

His motion asks the council to paint the lines which prevent parking at all times, as a standard practice.

"There have been some instances reported to me regarding cars parking in fron t of these tactile pavers preventing pedestrians and those with disability impairments from safely accessing footpaths," Cllr Walsh said.

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Cllr John Joe Fennelly and Cllr Willie Aird both back his request.

In reply, the area engineer is offering to meet Cllr Walsh "to examine priority locations where illegal car parking is impacting on pedestrians at uncontrolled crossing points in the Portlaoise Municipal District".