One Inis Mór driver made history in a way they’d rather forget on Monday when they became the recipient of the first ever road traffic violation ticket issued on the Aran Islands.

Community Warden Martin Mannion attached the dreaded paperwork to the window of a car at Kilronan Harbour on Monday morning as the new County Council Traffic Plan kicked in on Inis Mór.

The Traffic Management Plan for the Harbour area in Kilronan was agreed by Galway County Council in 2011 and it came into effect on January 1.

It regulates parking and traffic movement in the vicinity of the newly developed harbour at Kilronan. The regulations also apply to an area in the Killeaney harbour part of the island.

But with regulation comes enforcement and the new traffic plan gives community wardens authority to issue on the spot fine tickets to motorists who disobey the law.

In a broader context the Community Wardens are already entitled to issue tickets for the non-display of motor tax discs throughout the island. However no traffic violation tickets were issued until now.

Parking along double yellow lines would be the most likely reason for a transgression of the traffic laws in the newly developed harbour area at Kilronan.

Abandoned vehicles could also attract the attention of Galway County Council and the Community Wardens.

But Community Wardens also have authority to issue on the spot fine tickets for the non-display of motor tax discs; this issue may come more under the spotlight in view of the new traffic by-laws in parts of the island.

Estimates put the number of vehicles on Inis Mór island at about 400; about 75% would be cars and jeeps. The islands have a special rate of motor tax of €95 per year – up from €88 euro due to budget changes – which applies to all vehicles irrespective of capacity.

A powerful jeep type vehicle that could cost over €1,000 in motor tax on the mainland can be taxed on the island at the special rate of €95.

The on-the-spot fine for non-display of a tax disc is €60.

See full story in this week's Connacht Tribune.