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Cycling campaigners paint fake “free parking” signs on pavement to protest against “anti-social” illegal parking in Dublin… but drivers continue to park over painted signs

The activists took the action to bring to light the council turning a blind eye to letting drivers park illegally with impunity, but the drivers wasted no time in making use of the fake parking bays regardless

Activists from a cycling campaign in Dublin have taken action against the illegal parking in the city by trying to highlight the council’s inaction in holding drivers accountable — by painting the pavements with fake ‘Free Parking’ signs. However, the irony seems to have been lost on the motorists as the pavement was soon lined up with cars once again.

To protest against all the illegal parking in the city, campaign group I Bike Dublin decided to paint the pavement with fake parking bay signs along a stretch of the Phibsborough Road south of Doyle’s Corner, where illegal parking has been reported to be a daily occurrence, with the group alleging “serial offenders” who park for free on the pavement.

With this action, the campaigners said they were trying to prove an otherwise dry point of lack of enforcement. They wrote on Twitter: “The council obviously forgot to mark out these parking bays. I mean, they must be parking bays, right? Because if they weren't, we know the council would not continue to let people park there with impunity.”

Ironically, it ended up in a cycle of art imitating life and then life imitating art once again, as motorists started parking in the awkwardly marked bays, many finding it difficult to keep within the lines. Soon, there were even more cars on the pavement than the fake parking zones.

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The Journal reports that a spokesman for I Bike Dublin said that illegal parking is a widespread issue that needs more enforcement from gardaí and Dublin City Council, with little being done to tackle “serial offenders”.

He said the council could intervene by erecting bollards or by ticketing or clamping offenders, and they took notice to use poster paint that will wash away in the rain.

The reaction to this action on social media has been positive, with a lot of residents coming forward to highlight the improper priority allocated to cars over everyone else in the city.

Paddy Monahan, Social Democrats Councillor for Donaghmede, said: “We’ve already given a VAST amount of public space to cars. I shouldn’t have to mention how parking like this impacts on people with disabilities, like my mother. Or parents pushing buggies. Or, you know, people trying to walk from A to B. It’s the path! Don’t park on it!”

Alfred wrote: “Calling it what it is. “Free Parking Zone” Phibsborough 7 new D7CarbageCount parking spaces installed today in the absence of any enforcement. Clampers not seen here since 2018 and even then it was citizen clampers because those who are responsible don’t do the job!”

Lorraine D’Arcy added: “Footpath parking. I always call it the ultimate anti-social behaviour. But so many are blind to it. Fantastic action here in Dublin highlighting where anti-social parking was observed.”

The issue of people parking illegally, particularly on footpaths, is particularly prevalent in the north inner city on matchdays. Local Green Party councillor for Cabra-Glasnevin, Feljin Jose, said a key issue in the debate is that although the city council has a parking enforcement contract, there is no measure on how effective it is. 

“I think we need a much, much wider parking enforcement regime,” he told The Journal. “The current enforcement contract will terminate at some point next year, and myself and other Green Party councillors are pushing for the next contract to be much, much more radical, and to specifically target illegal parking and dangerous parking with a view to stamping it out.”

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He said a major reason that people do park illegally in the area in Phibsborough targeted by activists yesterday is because “there’s next to no chance of being caught”. 

While the current contract will remain in place until some time next year, he said that the enforcement can target one area more than others. 

“Ultimately, it’s just the contract is not wide reaching enough to stamp out illegal parking across the city, which is what needs to happen,” he said. 

Adwitiya joined road.cc in 2023 as a news writer after graduating with a masters in journalism from Cardiff University. His dissertation focused on active travel, which soon threw him into the deep end of covering everything related to the two-wheeled tool, and now cycling is as big a part of his life as guitars and football. He has previously covered local and national politics for Voice Wales, and also likes to writes about science, tech and the environment, if he can find the time. Living right next to the Taff trail in the Welsh capital, you can find him trying to tackle the brutal climbs in the valleys.

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12 comments

Avatar
Cayo | 4 months ago
0 likes

Whilst I understand the idea behind what they did, surely nobody is surprised that the drivers actually parked on the spots the protesters had marked for them?

A more interesting protest would have been to put the 'parking bay' markings in the middle of the road demonstrate that's about the only place these plonkers probably won't park. That said, the protesters probably would have been charged with vandalising the highway.

Avatar
Sriracha | 4 months ago
6 likes

I also think this is an excellent mode of protest. No one is inconvenienced nor made to feel threatened, but it brings the issue to light in a creative and memorable way.

It is paradoxical that the sight of painted parking bays is more incongruous and attention-grabbing than the actual parked cars themselves, a sign of the extent to which we have sadly become inured to their colonisation of the pedestrian space.

Avatar
chrisonabike replied to Sriracha | 4 months ago
0 likes
Sriracha wrote:

I also think this is an excellent mode of protest. No one is inconvenienced nor made to feel threatened, but it brings the issue to light in a creative and memorable way.

Unfortunately this may be exactly the kind of protest that politicians are keen to uphold your rights to.  The kind that doesn't actually bring about any change.

Difficult though - shout at people, you polarise them and may get an aggressive response.  Ask softly - and you'll be ignored.  Winning people over person-to-person, one at a time works - but will take for ever.

Avatar
eburtthebike | 4 months ago
8 likes

"..........although the city council has a parking enforcement contract, there is no measure on how effective it is."

You're kidding, right?  A contract with no measure of success: hey, where do I sign, I'll do it for half the price.  When I say do it, I mean do nothing, just take the cash without providing any semblance of the service.  Or I could pay one doddery old man peanuts to walk around in a parking warden uniform.

Avatar
peted76 | 4 months ago
8 likes

I really like this idea.. there's a private nursery by me who refuse to do anything about the pavement parking which blocks the pavement every day at drop off and pick up..  (parking round the corner.. no one gives a flying... )

 

Avatar
mctrials23 replied to peted76 | 4 months ago
10 likes

I mean, what sort of idiot doesn't drive their little darling the 500m to school in their chelsea tractor. Its not safe on the roads!

On my local walk to nursery I am having to avoid dozens of cars parked so far on the pavement you can barely squeeze a double buggy between them. Unfortunately, sometimes you have to squeeze and cars get scratched. I can't imagine how much fun that would be for people in wheelchairs etc. 

Avatar
Oldfatgit replied to peted76 | 4 months ago
7 likes

The parents at the nursery around the corner from me have no problems parking on all 4 zig-zags of a zebra crossing ... that was put in at the nurseries request to keep the little darlings safe.

Avatar
Benthic replied to Oldfatgit | 4 months ago
4 likes

Send video footage to the police. Don't miss out the numberplates.

£100 fine and 3 penalty points.

Avatar
wtjs replied to Benthic | 4 months ago
3 likes

Send video footage to the police. Don't miss out the numberplates. £100 fine and 3 penalty points

Whereas I, predictably, think the video will go straight in the bin and nothing whatsoever will be allowed to trouble the offender. Let's see who's right!

Avatar
mdavidford replied to Oldfatgit | 4 months ago
6 likes
Oldfatgit wrote:

parking on all 4 zig-zags of a zebra crossing

Cars really have got to be a ridiculous size these days, haven't they?

Avatar
Sriracha replied to peted76 | 4 months ago
2 likes

What caring, protective, loving parent wouldn't drive their cherished darling to nursery? The pavements are impassable making it impossible to walk safely or squeeze a designer double buggy through (although, hey, there's the germ of an idea).

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to Sriracha | 4 months ago
3 likes
Sriracha wrote:

What caring, protective, loving parent wouldn't drive their cherished darling to nursery? The pavements are impassable making it impossible to walk safely or squeeze a designer double buggy through (although, hey, there's the germ of an idea).

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