“Awful decision” by Disabled Drivers’ Association to allow disabled bays to be relocated
TWO Disabled Parking Bays which were removed from O’Connell Street and relocated elsewhere in Sligo town were described this week as particularly important for disabled people with local councillor Arthur Gibbons calling for their reinstatement at that location.
He said he accepted the two new spaces were allocated elsewhere but they are badly needed in that location they were in on O’Connell Street, he told members of his local municipal district on Monday.
He claimed the permission for the two spaces on O’Connell Street to be decommissioned were given by what he described as the Disabled Drivers’ Association [of Ireland], describing it as “an awful decision” by them.
“Whoever gave that decision from the Disabled Drivers’ group were probably never in Sligo in their lives, that was an awful bad decision and down the line we should look at having those reinstalled.
“I am asking that the roads department of the council would look at the whole aspect of maybe having those two spaces [on O’Connell Street] back where they were, up near Hyde Bridge.
“We have people using wheelchairs who are driving around the town constantly and cannot get a disabled parking space,” he said.
However, Cllr Gibbons was told that there were now more disabled parking bays than ever in the town among them a newly commissioned bay near the Glasshouse Hotel.
Thomas Kerins, Sligo County Council, said they had discussed the two bays referred to by Cllr Gibbons before. He pointed out that a new disabled bay had been located at the Glasshouse Hotel in the past few months. This bay, he said, was within 50 metres of the post office.
“There’s an age friendly bay, a disabled bay and a free park 20 bay which was only formalised before Christmas, so it is worth noting that overall in the town we are ‘up’ in terms of the number of disabled bays we now have compared to before. That’s where we are at.”
Cllr Gibbons said he was “not knocking” the number of bays Sligo town has, adding that “for a town of its size it has ample disabled bays”.
He added: “The one outside the
Glasshouse [Hotel] actually slipped my mind, it is an asset.”
Earlier in the discussion Cllr Declan Bree had tabled a motion asking that a Disabled Persons Parking Bay be provided on Kempton Parade. In a written response he was told Sligo County Council Roads Department will assess the requirement for a disabled bay on Kempton Parade.
Cllr Bree explained the need for the bay: “Parents of children with special needs who use the IONA day care services located on Kempton Parade are seeking the provision of a disabled parking bay so as to enable easier access for those who use wheelchairs and for people with reduced mobility.
“The premises on Kempton Parade was recently put into use following the HSE’s decision to relocate the IONA day care services from Cregg House.
“All of us will be aware that car parking in the area is fully utilised and the lack of a parking bay makes it extremely difficult for parents or others who are dropping off or collecting the service users.
“I have made representations to the Roads Department of the Council regarding this matter and there is a recognition that a disabled parking bay would be beneficial.”
Speaking at the meeting, Mr Kerins said he believed that there will be an opportunity to put in a disabled parking bay at Kempton Parade.