Disabled claimants are preparing to take legal action over guidance for councils on managing pavements during COVID-19.
Two disabled people are raising funds for a legal challenge to Government guidance to local authorities on managing pavements for more walking and cycling during the pandemic. They say the guidance Reallocating road space in response to COVID-19: statutory guidance for local authorities, pays little attention to the needs of disabled people and is mainly concerned with promoting walking and cycling as alternatives to public transport during the pandemic, with only a brief reference to disability.
Sarah Leadbetter, who is visually impaired, and Doug Paulley, a wheelchair user, have raised £1,358 so far towards a £3,000 target for a legal challenge on their crowdfunding page. Both are regularly put in danger by cars and vans obstructing pavements as they try to travel around their local areas.
They say that the obstruction of pavements and dropped kerbs by cars and vans is a major barrier for many pedestrians including disabled people and that the government has “failed to deal with the problem of pavement obstruction and that its guidance about coronavirus infrastructure changes may be unlawful”.During the pandemic disabled people have reported more instances than normal of obstructed pavements and it appears that local authorities and police forces have not been able to attempt even the usual low levels of enforcement activities”.
