A Dublin architect who has tirelessly campaigned against 24-hour, seven-day clamping outside his home yesterday finally won a victory over the clampers.
The campaigning of Mr Martin Reynolds of Upper Leeson Street on Dublin's south side led to a ballot of local residents called by Dublin City Council in which they voted for clamping from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday only.
During his campaign, Mr Reynolds erected signs in his front garden and handed out leaflets warning motorists that clampers were active in the area. He also bombarded public representatives with letters.
Mr Reynolds said yesterday he had got the council to call the ballot. He had campaigned for a year against the council's policy of making money from clamping without trying to find a solution to the traffic problems. The road from the Bank of Ireland to the shops at the Burlington Hotel end was designated as a 24-hour, seven-day clamping zone.
"For the past 90 days I have stood out here in my front garden from 7 p.m. because that's the time people come here and park. They may be going to a function in the Burlington or going to the bars or restaurants. That's the time when people get trapped," he said.
The signs displaying the clamping hours were 2.6 metres tall and that was nearly eight feet off the ground. They were also facing out onto the road, he said.
Each day between two and 14 cars were clamped, which on average was about €2,000 a week which went to the council, Mr Reynolds said. "The council gets over €100,000 a year just from this part of of the street."
The vote to reduce the hours was 111 and 29 voted to keep them. They were given options about the hours and 95 wanted from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and 91 voted for Monday to Friday only.
He said he had sent a fax to the council yesterday advising officials of the change and asking them to implement it at once. "I have never personally been clamped, I have a parking space. I want to stop the abuse," he said.
Mr Reynolds is by no means going to sit back now that this particular campaign is won, and vows to fight on. "I am going to extend my campaign to other areas. I will start by getting in touch with residents where their road is clamped for 24 hours, seven days a week, like Mountpleasant Square. There are restricted roads all over the city."