Fixed penalty warning for bad parking

PSNI Carrickfergus has launched a campaign to highlight the difficulty that people with sight loss, mobility problems or mothers with prams face when trying to negotiate vehicles parked on footpaths.

Police are warning that over the coming months, officers will be issuing notices to badly parked cars informing drivers that if they repeatedly offend, they are at risk of a fixed penalty notice for obstructing the pavement.

The Cedar Foundation and PSNI Road Policing to call for Responsible Parking.

A spokesman said: “Often they are forced out into the carriageway as guide dogs cannot walk through confined narrow spaces and wheelchairs/prams need space to safely pass.

“At some stage, we’ve all done it, we throw our car up on a kerb thinking we’re doing the best thing by keeping the road clear.

“But this has a direct impact on pedestrians and that impact is only made worse for someone with mobility issues.

“We’re calling on drivers to use 2017 to turn over a new leaf and be more responsible when it comes to parking their cars.”

• All motorists to park responsibly and consider the needs of pedestrians when choosing a location for their vehicle.

• All motorists to leave approx 1.5 metres of clear pavements (at least the width of a double buggy) to allow clear passage for pedestrians, including those in wheelchairs.

• All motorists to stop parking across a dropped kerb, and to avoid parking in bus stops.