SELFISH drivers are ruining the lives of residents living alongside a leafy Dublin park loved by families.
Cars are often dumped on the once idyllic street – blocking roads and making deliveries impossible.
Chairman of the Residents’ Association Derek Fallon said residents are ‘screwed’ if someone becomes unwell[/caption]
Homeowners in Rutland Grove are calling for action against illegal parking[/caption]
And the fear of emergency vehicles being unable to access homes is a terrifying reality for the residents of Rutland Grove in Crumlin, Dublin.
Fed-up homeowners have told how they have sleepless nights over illegal parking and fume: “It’s going to cost someone their life.”
They’ve called on Dublin City Council and local groups to listen to residents’ pleas and enforce respectful driving in the area.
Chair of the Residents’ Committee Derek Fallon told The Irish Sun: “This is a shared entrance, one way in, one way out.
“This was built in the 70s, you’ve grandparents, children, and grandchildren.
“If someone takes unwell in this estate, you’re screwed because an ambulance can’t get in.
“We’re looking for safety bollards, a safety crossing, you can’t cross the road here.
“The guards are saying that the double yellow lines are not visible enough, we want the double yellow lines done again and put at the bend.
‘AFFECTING EVERYONE’
“We love what’s happening here, we love the park, but everything is all based on this corner and this is where the trouble is going.
“It affects everyone.”
He finished: “What we want is, if you’re driving into our estate, to respect people coming in and out, don’t be abusing people, don’t park in people’s gates and don’t park on the footpath.”
And one concerned resident said her daughter can’t deliver her shopping due to the number of cars causing congestion.
The 70-year-old said she’s been forced to sit at the window and watch to make sure that people don’t park in front of her house.
She told us: “My daughter comes to bring me shopping, she can’t get in, she can’t park here, you can’t get in the gate.
‘NOT FAIR’
“I go out and say ‘Excuse me, can you move back?’, and you get abuse.
“I feel sick on Friday nights.
“I’m stressed every Saturday morning, my daughter comes to collect me and my blood pressure’s gone, I’m cracking up walking to the car.
“We’ve told people you wouldn’t like it outside your own house so don’t do it here.
“It’s not fair that I have to get up every Saturday and I have to watch here until my daughter comes.
“It’s not right, and I open the door and I know I’m going to get abuse.”
‘NOWHERE TO PARK’
She continued: “It could cost somebody their life, and it will.
“We want respect for residents, a bit of respect and that the entrances are left clear.
“It’s a brilliant park, just don’t make the residents suffer for it.”
And one woman who cares for her elderly mother in the estate said older people are suffering due to the amount of illegal parking.
Colette McNally explained: “There’s no one in the 20 houses that are here under the age of 70, so they’re all elderly people.
“We’ve walking frames, we’ve wheelchairs, their children are coming to take care of them and they’ve nowhere to park.
TRAFFIC HELL
“If anyone’s having cardiac arrest here they’re screwed because there’s nobody coming here with a defibrillator, there’s nothing for anyone in here so you’re dependent on the ambulance or fire service and when they do come around they can’t get parking.
“You don’t want someone to be seriously injured for the council to do their job.”
And Colette confirmed that the popularity of Eamonn Ceannt Park is what’s drawing people to the estate – and causing the problem.
She said: “They’re parking everywhere, on the double yellow lines, on the footpath.
“We’re just bringing more and more people into the park which is great but not when it comes to parking facilities.
“We can’t keep bringing extra traffic in and not providing facilities.”
‘DISPLAY OF CONCERN’
In a statement, the Rutland Grove Resident’s Association said that their concerns need to be taken seriously.
They claim that parking on double yellow lines, on footpaths and green spaces, and on corners is a constant occurrence.
The statement reads: “Following on from a recent ‘display of concern’ by some of our residents; we would like to highlight the issue of Illegal Parking that persists at the entrance to our estate which ultimately has a negative impact on our residents as well as the general public accessing Eamonn Ceannt Park, (known locally as Sundrive Park) via the entrance gate at Rutland Grove.
“From our residents’ first hand observations, Saturday and Sunday is when this problem really impacts on our residents… however we are now seeing an increase mid week Mon to Friday – particularly during spring and summer.
“For clarity, the Sundrive Pavilion was granted planning with 30no. associated car parking spaces and to date the car parking has not been set out nor provided.
“RGRA have raised this on several occasions with DCC, Cllrs, and especially at the ‘Friends of Eamonn Ceannt Park’ meetings.
TACKLING THE ISSUE
“It’s more or less fallen on deaf ears with DCC Roads Dept issuing various excuses.
“Also, there’s almost no enforcement by Dublin Street Parking Service (DSPS).
“RGRA has witnessed some clamping to ‘tackle’ the issues yet no more than three or four times in the last 12 months.
“Some parking fines have been issued but it’s not happening regularly enough to break the habit of motorists.
“Most recently the residents themselves have called the DCC clamping phone line only to be told that no vans are available to deal with the issue.
“Motorists are now starting to creep into the Rutland Grove estate and block the footpaths here too.”
It ends: “We have worked tirelessly over the years to improve the environment of our estate and most notably the green space at the entrance.”
Dublin City Council has been contacted for comment.
Saturdays and Sundays see hundreds of cars descend on the estate[/caption]
