THERE’S not a day goes by when I don’t see one example or another of a totally selfish driver who has dumped their car where it shouldn’t be.
They’re leaving them on footpaths, where parents with buggies and people in wheelchairs can’t pass, completely blocking supposedly cycle-only lanes and taking up just about any space they can edge into regardless of the thousands of miles of roads and parking spaces NI already has.
And they are parked in ways that suggest their parents forgot to teach them to have some manners and think about other people.
So in case they didn’t teach you the very basics about parking etiquette, here they are:
- Bike lanes are for bikes
- Footpaths are for pedestrians
- Neither is for your car because you can’t be bothered to walk an extra few yards or park it in a properly designated space
- Oh, and just stop being so damn selfish.
The culprits are one thing but I can also see a rising tide of frustration at authorities who appear to be doing absolutely nothing about it.
They are constantly being called out on social media and still the mess persists.
North Belfast Cycle Campaign has highlighted the ongoing issues at Hardcastle Street again and again.
Pictures shared on an almost daily basis show cars parked almost the
full length of the cycle lane, which is also filled with bins and more recently a pile of pallets that completely blocked the route forcing cyclists out into the road.
We asked the Department for Infrastructure what on earth is going on as this is not a new issue but one which has been raised time and again without any resolution.
And this is what a DfI spokesperson said: “During the Covid pandemic, the Department introduced a number of pop-up cycle lanes along Dublin Road, Marcus Ward Street, Hardcastle Street and Bankmore Street.
“It is the Department’s intention to carry out a consultation for a permanent cycle lane along this route which would bring forward legislation to enforce the current inconsiderate parking taking place.
“As previously advised The Traffic Management (Northern Ireland) Order 2005 only gives the Department the power to issue Penalty Charge Notices when a vehicle is detected parked on a legislated Mandatory Cycle Lane.
“Advisory Cycle Lanes, which are identified by a broken white line, cycle tracks on footways or those separate from the carriageway, are not generally enforceable by a Traffic Attendant unless there are parking restrictions marked on the carriageway, for example yellow lines, as these would also apply to the cycle lane, track or footway.
“It is however an offence for vehicles to park in a way that causes obstruction or danger to other road users, including obstruction of footways and cycle tracks. Such instances should be reported to PSNI on their non-emergency number 101, who have the authority to issue Fixed Penalty Notices.”
So, they can’t do anything about it? Rubbish. How about instead of “intending” to do a consultation, you get on with it? Give people the chance to have their say and actually deliver for cyclists across the city.
And in the meantime, how about ticketing some of the perpetually selfish parkers who have been allowed to feel comfortable pulling their cars into this bike lane?
They do it every day now because they know they can get away with it. Be more like the Department for Communities, who actually took action to stop people parking in Bank Square “pedestrian zone” after this paper highlighted how it had become a “free for all car park”.
People are sick to the back teeth of buck passing when it comes to these things. They want action, not more excuses and it’s time DfI started to deliver instead of hiding behind the police, who incidentally told us it’s down to DfI to ticket these cars.
There’s money to be made here folks and a message to send. I can’t see how it’s so hard to sort it out.
Go wild in your garden this year and help Let Nature In
FIVE thousand NI homes are being urged to Let Nature In this year.
That’s because our gardens are crucial to insects and other creatures such as hedgehogs and house sparrows as the number of under threat species continues to rise.
Ulster Wildlife has joined forces with Hughes Insurance for the initiative and everyone can sign up for some hints and tips about what you can do to help.
A good start would be not using pesticides, which kill our pollinators.
Other things you can do are:
- Provide water and natural food sources for hedgehogs
- Plant native flowers to ensure insects have enough nectar to feed on
- Attract butterflies by planting species they like, such as foxgloves, honeysuckle and clover
- Don’t use slug pellets and pesticides and leave areas of grass long for foraging or create log or leaf piles to help hedgehogs
- Provide natural shelter such as trees, hedges and long grass, or erect bird, bee or bat boxes to create suitable homes for wildlife, and
- Keep a bird feeder clean and topped up with fresh drinking and bathing water to help garden birds thrive.
In 2022, 1,469 households across the province took part in Let Nature In. Dawn Miskelly, Director of Development and Governance at Ulster Wildlife, says the initiative has the potential to make a huge difference.
She added: “Northern Ireland is home to a wealth of wildlife but sadly it’s in trouble. The list of ‘under threat, increasingly rare and important’ species has risen from 481 to 594 over the past 12 years.
“Collectively, gardens make up more land than all of the UK’s nature reserves. That’s why we are asking households to take action and help create a network of nature-friendly spaces that wildlife so desperately needs to survive.
“Our Let Nature In campaign provides all the information you need to get started and we will show you just how easy it can be to create inviting outdoor spaces for people and nature to dwell.
“We’re very grateful to have the support of Hughes Insurance this year.”
Bernie McHugh Sonner, Director of Operations and Customer Services at Hughes Insurance, said: “We see Let Nature In as an important initiative that can make a real difference to our environment and we are delighted to be partnering with Ulster Wildlife to support its goal of getting 5,000 households involved, including our own staff.
“We’re also looking forward to working with more partners throughout the year and contributing to further positive social change.”
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