Pavement parking often presents major challenges for disabled people, especially for people with visual impairments , wheelchair users and people who use mobility aids, leading to calls to make it illegal.
After years of campaigning the Government has set up a consultation on whether pavement parking should be banned and local authorities given more powers to challenge those who do so.
Guide dog owner Emma, who has been campaigning for this change says “pavement parking has a real impact on our lives, as a guide dog owner we have to deal with these hazards and so frequently are forced into the dangers of oncoming traffic. It can just become too much, making you feel like you do not want to go out and yet this defeats the purpose of having a guide dog”
Fazilet Hadi, Head of Policy for Disability Rights UK said “It seems completely obvious that pavements are not the place to park cars and this consultation is long overdue.”
Disabled Motoring UK, a charity which supports disabled drivers, passengers and Blue Badge holders, is also campaigning on the issue.
You can have your say on the Gov.UK website where you can also read the options for change and an impact assessment.
The consultation closes on 22 November 2020.
