Parking tickets could be issued by Dublin City Council parking wardens for the first time in over twenty years.
City Council bosses want to give on-the-spot fixed-penalty notices of €40 to drivers who block bus lanes, bike paths and clearways.
They say too many drivers are dodging fines by moving their car before the council tow truck arrives.
"Clamping the offending vehicle ensures that the disruption to the bus or bike lane continues until such time as the owner returns and
pays the fine and has the clamp removed, and so in general is not the preferred option," says City Council Parking Enforcement Officer Dermot Stevenson. "Relocating the vehicle is therefore the preferable approach but while waiting for the tow truck to arrive the offending vehicle may be removed by the owner."
A report being presented to councillors at a meeting next week sets out a plan for a 12-month pilot programme.
At the moment, only Gardaí issue parking tickets in the city centre area -- but workers from the council's parking contractor Park Rite could start doing so too.
Feljin Josay (pron: fell-jinn joe-say) from the Dublin Commuter Coalition says there is far too little enforcement as it stands.
"To be frank, our bus lanes and footpaths and cycle lanes are regularly parked on. There's no enforcement at the moment and when there is the fines can be as low as €40. There's no incentive to follow the rules really."
