Carlow Irish Wheelchair Association Local Access Group call out illegal parking in disabled spaces

“I’ll just leave my car in the disabled car parking space for five minutes.”

It’s a common excuse people use to take up disabled car parking spaces they don’t need.

And it’s illegal.

On Friday September 20th, at 11.00 am at the Fairgreen Shopping Centre in Carlow town, the IWA Local Access Group will highlight the significant impact parking in an accessible space can have on a person with a disability through the “Back in 5” Campaign.

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During this day of action, several wheelchairs will be parked unexpectedly in car parking spaces around the town, to put the brakes on this illegal parking. This campaign will be supported by the Community Gardai

There are currently almost 75,000 Disabled Drivers Parking Permits in circulation in Ireland. The availability of wheelchair accessible parking spaces is an essential lifeline for motorists with disabilities. Yet far too often these spaces are occupied by able-bodied drivers.

‘Back in 5’ reminds motorists that it is an offence to park in a disabled parking space without an official Disabled Drivers Parking Permit. Offenders are dealt a fixed charge notice for €150, rising to €225 if not paid in the first 28 days, which results in a very expensive five minutes.

National Access Programme Manager with the Irish Wheelchair Association, Rosaleen Lally said:

The ‘Back in 5’ campaign will be rolled out nationally during the month of September to highlight the abuse of disabled parking spaces. The campaign is a protest style event designed to show able-bodied people the frustrations people with disabilities face when accessible spaces are abused.

Local Service Support Officer with the IWA, Louise Barry added: “The ‘Back in 5’ initiative involves a regular car space on the street being taken up by an empty wheelchair parked in it with a note pinned to the back with messages such as 'Be back in 5 minutes'/ 'Just gone to the bank,' or 'Just running in for a coffee.' These are throw away statements that people with disabilities encounter every day when people use accessible spaces that do not need them.”