Bradford disability groups unsure if pavement parking proposals would work

A Department of Transport consultation was launched on Monday because pavement parking can cause significant problems for pedestrians, particularly wheelchair users, people with visual impairments and those with prams or buggies.

The consultation is asking whether a change of existing pavement parking legislation should occur and three options are being proposed.

The first option would improve Traffic Regulation Orders, under which local authorities can already prohibit pavement parking. The second option would allow local authorities civil parking enforcement powers against ‘unnecessary obstruction of the pavement’. The third alternative would introduce a London-style pavement parking prohibition throughout England.

Low Moor pavement parking campaigner Gavin Camm

In a letter to the Telegraph and Argus, Emmerson Walgrove, chairman of the Bradford & District Disabled People's Forum (BDPF), said: "We welcome the launch of the consultation which would ban antisocial parking and give councils greater powers to fine drivers who flout the rules.

"Disabled and older people can feel trapped in their homes because there is not enough room on the pavement for wheelchairs or mobility scooters, for many people with sight loss, cars and vans parked on the pavement make our streets stressful and dangerous to navigate. At any time, you might be forced out into the road with traffic that you cannot see.

"This has impacted more people during the pandemic with blocked pavements affecting everyone’s ability to physically distance and when every journey is an ordeal, simply going out independently can become daunting.

"We would like to encourage as many people as possible to take part in the consultation ,which ends on November 22, by visiting: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/managing-pavement-parking."

Mr Walgrove did say that for any of the three options to work, the council or police would have to invest in more manpower to carry out the initiatives.

Low Moor man Gavin Camm, a campaigner against obstructive parking, said the three options in the consultation are good ideas but would not work.

"None of the three points would work because it would cost too much money. But pavement parking is not the main issue for disabled people or parents, it's obstructive parking. It is illegal and can be reported to the police."

Gavin has personally designed a form that people can fill in online to report obstructive parking to the West Yorkshire Police.

"People don't always give a second thought to parking on the pavement,but I've come home in tears because I couldn't get to the doctors because of obstructive parking."

"I'm not sure banning pavement parking will help the problem," said Coun Jeanette Sunderland (Lib Dem, Idle and Thackley). "The problem is too many cars have been introduced on roads and there are more cars than they can handle. Some houses don't have room outside for a spare car, let alone if there more than two in a household.

"They need to clear it up and say who is responsible for enforcement and what they can enforce."