Cars blocking slipway should be towed away
CLLR Jennifer Whitmore has called for Wicklow County Council and the management of Greystones Harbour to ensure that any cars that are found to block the slipway in the harbour are towed immediately.
On a number of occasions in the past few weeks, cars have been parked across the top of both slipways at the harbour, blocking access to all and, of huge concern, preventing the local Coast Guard from launching in the case of an emergency.
‘ This could prove disastrous and it’s not something that we can allow happen, said the Social Democrat, who raised the matter at last week’s meeting of Greystones Municipal District.
‘It’s important that it is dealt with straight away. Specifically, I asked that any cars that are found blocking the slipway, and are causing a health and safety risk, are removed immediately.
‘I have also asked that the yellow box at the top of the slipway be made larger and repainted, and that signs indicating a “tow zone” are put in place to ensure that everybody is aware that they cannot park in that location. These rules should only apply to those cars parking in a dangerous manner at the top of the slip, and existing parking rules should remain in place for all other areas.’
Earlier this month, Dermot McCauley of Greystones Coast Guard told this newspaper that they had been prevented from launching their boat on Sunday, July 9, due to inconsiderate parking at the harbour. The Coast Guard had been due to cover a swim in Wicklow that day. ‘If there was someone drowning at 4 p.m. on Sunday, we could not have launched our boat,’ Mr McCauley said at the time.