One expensive bag of chips! Longford driver fined €150 for using disabled bay as takeaway parking
Gardai warned drivers to "get the message rather than a €150 fine"
Longford Gardaí have tonight warned drivers to think twice before parking in a disabled bay without a valid permit.
The warning comes after they posted a picture of a car that was found parked illegally while its owner went to collect a takeaway.
Adding further context to the picture, which they posted to their Facebook page tonight, the Gardaí wrote, "While on mountain bike patrol yesterday evening, one of our Community Policing members encountered this Learner driver parked in a disabled bay while collecting food from a nearby establishment."
The post added, "They did not have a disabled persons permit, nor had they a disability. A fine of €150 was issued and the vehicle moved on."
"We do not post pictures online every time we issue fines to the drivers of vehicles illegally parked in disabled bays, but unfortunately it happens on an all to regular basis."
"Please get the message rather than a €150 fine, these spaces are for use by disabled permit holders only."
This word of warning from the Gardaí comes just days after Councillor Kevin Hussey raised a motion in a meeting of the Longford Municipal District in which he proposed the clamping of cars found illegally parked in disabled bays, loading bays, and taxi ranks.
Cllr Peggy Nolan supported his motion and in addition, suggested steeper fines, particularly for those found parked in disabled bays, an act she described as being a particular bugbear of hers.
Cllr Nolan suggested increasing the penalty for parking in a disabled bay from its current rate of €150 to the steeper figure of €500, or €1,000 if it’s a second offence.
Senior Executive Engineer for Longford County Council, Peter Brady, informed the chamber that the council currently had “no plans to introduce clamping,” but that a review of the bylaws was scheduled for 2026 and that such feedback" - including proposals of clamping and steeper fines - "could be considered at that time.”
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