Pavement parking stops blind wheelchair user from leaving the house

Julie Pilsworth is calling for a change in the law to prevent pavement parking

A blind wheelchair user is calling for a change in the law to ban cars from parking on pavements.

Julie Pilsworth said the problem near her Grimsby home was sometimes so bad it prevented her from leaving her house.

She said she was often forced to use the middle of the road which was "far too dangerous".

The Department for Transport (DfT) said it was holding a public consultation on pavement parking.

Ms Pilsworth called on drivers to be more considerate but added that "the law needed to be changed".

Despite help from her guide dog Maeve she said she was often unable to visit the doctors or other places due to cars blocking drop kerbs or pavements.

"Around these streets it is really difficult and it is really frustrating," she said.

"We are just not able to get about as everyone else would.

"What do you expect people to do other than go in the middle of the road and risk our lives?"

In 2019, a group of MPs called for a ban on pavement parking and the government announced a public consultation on the issue the following year.

It is has been banned in Scotland since 2021 and London made it illegal in 1974.

Ms Pilsworth said despite help from her guide dog Maeve some pavements were impassable

A DfT spokesperson said: "Everyone should be able to navigate their streets without obstacle, and we continue to work with charities to keep pavements clear.

"Local authorities already have powers to prohibit pavement parking by introducing local laws, and in 2020 we launched a consultation to better equip councils to take action. The response will be published in due course."

The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) said parking on pavements "causes a host of serious problems" with one in four blind people saying it made walking more difficult.

Eleanor Thompson from the charity said: "RNIB has joined other sight loss charities in calling for many years for the introduction of a law to address unsafe pavement parking as soon as possible.

"It's already been tried and tested in London, so is a well-established concept, which provides clarity for drivers and pedestrians.

"The default would be not to park on the pavement except where there's specific permission."