‘Fines alone’ will not solve Cork parking problem

Figures show that 2,402 fines were issued by Cork City Council and 309 fines by Cork County Council to motorists for parking on footpaths over the course of last year.

As part of its Clear Our Paths campaign, Vision Ireland has published a survey exploring the experiences of people with sight loss regarding footpath obstacles.

It highlighted that illegal parking on footpaths and not cleaning up after dogs were named as key issues for people who are blind or vision impaired in Cork.

Cars parked on footpaths have an adverse impact on the ability of people who are blind or vision impaired to navigate public spaces, with 70% of survey respondents identifying parked cars as blocking their route when using public paths. 

Data provided by local authorities revealed that over 22,000 fines were issued nationally to motorists who parked on footpaths in 2023. There were 309 such fines issued by Cork County Council, and 2,402 issued by Cork City Council.

Crowding

Green Party councillor for Cork North East, Oliver Moran, said: “Often, you’ll see someone pulled up on a footpath imagining it’s a courtesy for other road users. What they’re actually doing is crowding out the footpath for pedestrians.

“These sort of habits are really ingrained, and we need to consciously unpick them — but like any bad habit, once you start doing things differently, the new habit then becomes second nature. I think businesses have a leadership role in this, putting in place employee policies to never pull up on footpaths.

“Habits in the workplace become habits outside of work as well, as setting examples on the street. It would be good to see businesses roll in behind the Vision Ireland campaign, as well as everyday motorists.”

Over a third of respondents also said they were impacted by dog waste in public spaces, as dog fouling presents a slipping hazard and can also dirty white canes used by blind or visually impaired people.

There were no dog fouling fines issued by Cork City Council and just six fines issued by Cork County Council in 2023, and overall, very few dog fouling fines were issued across the country.

Responsibility

Kevin Kelly, head of policy, partnerships and external affairs at Vision Ireland, said: “Fines alone will not solve these problems. We must all work together and do our part to clear our paths. If everyone takes more responsibility for their actions, we can work towards making paths in Cork safer for all.”

Vision Ireland national access and mobility manager Chantelle Smith added: “When people who are blind and vision impaired encounter obstacles like parked cars on footpaths, they often result in them having to take the decision to step off the footpath onto the roadway into traffic.

“Unfortunately, this places them at significant risk, as drivers may not be expecting them to do so, as it is not a crossing point.

“Vision Ireland is calling on the public and motorists alike to be considerate of the needs of vulnerable pedestrians.”