Selfish parking is ruining my life - campaigner

Hussein Abdillahi is partially sighted and says drivers parking on pavements around his home are making it difficult for him to walk the streets

A partially-sighted man has complained that "selfish drivers" parking illegally on double yellow lines and pavements have made it increasingly difficult for him to navigate the streets outside his home.

Hussein Abdillahi, who developed a degenerative eye condition 10 years ago, said that inconsiderate parking in the Sheffield suburb of Upperthorpe had left him feeling "hopeless".

He feared that he would fall over or bump into vehicles when walking in the neighbourhood and believed the risk had risen over the past year.

Sheffield City Council said it was aware of "inconsiderate" parking issues and is working to find a solution.

Mr Abdillahi said: "Sometimes I think, why bother leaving the house? I know it's going to be horrible out there."

He also said that the journey of half a mile to the local shops or his GP surgery could be difficult, yet the trips were often his only social interaction.

"The problem is the selfish drivers parked up on the pavement. I don't always see them," he said.

"Most of the double yellow lines around here are faded and need repainting."

He has a detached retina, meaning a heavy fall could lead to further damage and loss of sight.

Mr Abdillahi has expressed his concerns about the lack of signage warning drivers about parking restrictions to Sheffield City Council.

He added: "Where I live has just been neglected. We're forgotten. I don't think they appreciate how serious this is for me. It's ruining my life."

Mr Abdillahi is calling on Sheffield City Council to repaint double yellow lines

Joanne Ardern from the Sheffield Royal Society for the Blind said she realised people and organisations did not "deliberately set out to cause problems".

"Many of us who are lucky enough to have good sight or mobility may take it for granted and just don’t think about consequences for others," she said.

“We appeal to the people and organisations of Sheffield who share our city with over 4,600 of the charity’s visually impaired clients to consider how their actions might cause significant challenges.”

A council spokesperson added: "The council is aware of issues raised around inconsiderate parking and damage to the surface of pathways in this area.

"These concerns are being looked into and the council’s housing service will work with a number of services across the council in a bid to find a solution to these."

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