The planned reintroduction of on-the-spot parking fines in Dublin is a “cash grab” that unfairly targets drivers, according to independent councillor Mannix Flynn.

Dublin City Council is considering handing parking wardens the power to hand out fixed penalty notices of €40 to driver who block bus lanes, cycle paths and footpaths.

Officials have warned that clamping can cause further disruption if a car is dangerously parked and drivers often move their cars before a tow truck has time to arrive.

On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Independent Councillor Mannix Flynn said it is already “amost impossible” to get around the city in a car.

“This is not going to work,” he said. “What would work would be more gardaí and a public campaign appealing to people to basically park in an appropriate way.

“This is a cash grab by a small group of individuals who have been lobbying left, right and centre and it is a hostility against thousands of motorists and it simply won’t work.

“It is another draconian measure. The clamping didn’t work it caused more problems than anything else and now we have a situation where you are saying to motorists, ‘if you jump out of your car for five minutes or if you park your car on the footpath outside your house overnight, you are going to get fined.’

“This is extremely unfair. This is about fair play and due process.”

Clamping

The plans have been revealed after the council recorded a 50% drop in the number of vehicles clamped in Dublin last year.

Meanwhile, the council’s parking revenues fell 38% to just under €21m as lockdown led to fewer cars in the city.

Councillor Flynn said there is already “ample enforcement” of parking laws throughout the city and labelled the parking fine proposal a “steadfast way of making big cash flow for parking companies.”

“There is absolutely no necessity now for this,” he said. “Particularly now in this pandemic.

“This is bad news for people out there who are trying to get around their city, many people having to use their cars because of the restrictions on public transport.

“Maybe something like this could be trialled down the road but at the moment this is simply appalling.

“Revenues from parking, as we now from the recent report are down 50% and I think we would be much better off having more Gardaí in road policing to manage the entire road.”

Enforcement

Also on the show, Dublin Cycling Campaign spokesperson Kieran Ryan gave the proposals a “big thumbs up.”

“I am not clear on what level of legal or illegal parking Mannix is happy with,” he said.

“We have laws in this country; we have stated offences. You can’t drive on a footpath; you can’t park on a footpath. That puts pedestrians at risk, especially people with disabilities.

“It happens all over the city – people parking just for a minute popping in just for a coffee. It is blocking up the city.

“We are delighted to see extra enforcement and we want to see more resources towards this.

“We haven’t had enough resources to enforce legal parking around the city and we are hoping this will make for a safer city and a more pleasant city to get around so it is certainly a major thumbs up from us.”

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