Department of Transport

Dear Mr. Chambers,



I refer to your email dated 18th October 2010 to the Department of Transport regarding disabled parking bays in Mayo, which has been referred to the County Manager’s office in Mayo County Council for reply.



In response to your queries in your email dated 18th October 2010, I wish to reply as follows:



There is no national standard regarding accessible parking spaces. There is best practice guidance but this is not an enforceable standard. Best practice guides that 1200mm free space is provided adjacent to the parking space.


With due consideration to traffic management and engineering constraints, spaces are provided on streets, where practical, for blue badge holders in close proximity to amenity areas. With limited street (width) space available it is not always possible to provide the guided 1200mm free space adjacent to the parking space.


The only other option for on street parking would be to provide parking vertically to the flows of traffic and in general there are very few streets that will facilitate this.


Additional spaces with the guided 1200mm free space adjacent to the parking space are provided in car parks. If a blue badge holder does not feel they can safely use on-street parking facilities they should use the larger spaces provided in car parks.


When a driver alights from a vehicle, assuming that they have parked in the same direction as the flow of traffic, they will always be entering into the line of traffic. That is why it is incumbent upon them to exercise proper due care and attention.The user takes the same responsibility and risks as any other driver/pedestrian in accessing/exiting a vehicle on the street.


Regards



Joe Loftus,

Director of Services,

Corporate Affairs,

Mayo County Council.





Email: jloftus@mayococo.ie

Tel no: 094 9047306












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