BELFAST City Council has agreed to tackle pavement parking across the city.
Alliance Councillor Tara Brooks brought forward a motion on the issue this week, seconded by colleague Councillor Sam Nelson.
“This Council notes that inconsiderate pavement parking affects everyone in Belfast, but disproportionately children, people with visual impairments, mobility aid users, neuro-diverse people and people with prams or pushchairs," she said.
We want to curb pavement parking and protect people using our footpaths and shared pathways.
— Cllr Sam Nelson (@CllrSamNel) October 4, 2023
I was pleased to second a motion from @TrBrk tonight for council to play our part in leading the way and taking what action we can. Pleased to get the support of council. pic.twitter.com/BNDawpGSEE
"It is essential that the Council plays its full role in reinforcing the message that pavements are for people and it is never acceptable to park in a manner which forces people off a footway and into the road.
"We need to acknowledge the challenges in solving this issue but resolves to work towards stopping vehicles from blocking pavements through inconsiderate or dangerous parking."
The motion called on Belfast City Council to undertake a public information campaign about the negative impacts of pavement parking in its forthcoming communications.
DUP councillor Tracy Kelly said the issue of pavement parking was particularly bad in communities close to the city centre, including her own area of Botanic and nearby Sandy Row, Donegall Pass and the Market.
"Residents in these areas have to put up with commuters using their streets as car parks," she said. "Their streets should be safe for kids to play on and not for cars to be parked. I want to thank Councillor Brooks and Councillor Nelson for bringing forward this motion which I support."
Green Party councillor Brian Smyth said it was "frustrating" that the problematic issue had to be raised in the first place.
Councillor Smyth said it was the responsibility of the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) and called for the motion to be brought back to Committee for further discussions between Council and the DfI.
SDLP Botanic Councillor Gary McKeown said pavement parking is "unacceptable" and called out a "complete lack of joint-up enforcement" to tackle it. He called on DfI to work with Belfast City Council on public awareness and enforcement.
SDLP Councillor Donal Lyons called on Council officers to think about what planning powers they have to tackle problems such as bollards.
Councillors agreed to pass the motion, which will be brought to Committee later this month for further discussions.
