Photo Credit – South Tipperary IWA.
A protest event in Cashel today to support the proper use of disability parking bays and Blue Badges has earned huge public support according to organisers.
The “Back in Five” campaign involves the placing of wheelchairs and mobility aids in parking spaces to highlight the frustration experienced by Blue Badge Holders when their parking spaces are used by others. The wheelchairs and mobility aids have notes attached that carry the message – “just gone to the bank” or “only be here for a few minutes”.
The campaign is a collaboration involving the Irish Wheelchair Association (South Tipperary) HSE, Tipperary County Council, An Garda Siochana and local Chambers of Commerce. Staging the protest for one hour each day for five consecutive days in five different towns is a major expansion of the initiative which first ran in Tipperary town in 2017 and in Cahir in 2018. According to legislation one in every 100 parking spaces should be reserved for disabled drivers. The protest will be staged in Clonmel on Wednesday, Cahir Castle Car Park on Thursday and finish in Tipperary Town on Friday August 26th. The protest is timed to last for one hour each day from 11am to noon. Drivers parking in parking space reserved for Blue Badge holders face a fine of €150.00 – please see image below from Cashel event today. Credit – South Tipperary IWA.
