Selfish parking dangers hitting partially-sighted

Aban on pavement parking cannot come soon enough for a partiallysighted Dundee woman forced to walk on the road.

Rose McPherson, 67, struggles to get from the bus stop to her home in the Douglas area because of the amount of obstacles on the road.

“I have a job when the cars are there,” she said. “I’ve got to walk on the road. The cars are beeping at me.”

Ministers introduced the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 in part to ban parking on pavements, double parking and parking at dropped kerbs.

However, the legislation is not yet in force.

Councils across Scotland are expected to introduce fines for pavement parking in December next year.

But until then, people like Rose are being forced to take their chances on the roads.

“It’s dangerous,” she said. “We can’t see what’s coming.

“It’s not easy because I have to use my cane.”

Alison Rae is chief executive officer of Dundee Blind and Partially Sighted Society.

“I want to see the law put into action,” she said.

“Because when you have a visual impairment, just walking along the pavement can be a minefield.

“Our members’ experience is that pavement parking is very much a problem in Dundee, especially with shops and cafes using the pavement when unloading their vehicles.

“The only option is walk on the road.”

It is an issue for the society’s members in a number of areas in Dundee.

Scott McEwan has both sight and hearing loss.

Alison says he struggles to walk on the pavement at Dickson Avenue in Menzieshill.

“Not only is Scott registered blind, he is also hard of hearing so cannot see or hear a vehicle,” she said.

“This particularly impacts when he has to walk on the road due to a vehicle blocking the pavement.

“Scott often has to walk on the road or into bushes to pass cars parked on the pavement and finds it very frustrating.”

Pavement parking is also a problem for parents with buggies, wheelchair users and other pedestrians.

Walking and cycling charity Sustrans recently carried out a Scotland-wide survey called the Walking and Cycling Index. It found that banning pavement parking would encourage 70% of Dundee residents to walk or cycle more.

A Dundee City Council spokesperson said the authority was waiting for the Scottish Government to announce a date for banning pavement parking.

Likewise, the level of fines will be set at a national level.

“The council will proactively enforce the ban unless exemptions apply,” said the spokesperson.

“Transport Scotland have previously indicated that they are working towards an implementation date of December 1 2023.

“The ban, which will also cover dropped kerbs and double parking, will be enforced by the council’s parking team.”

HAZARDS: Rose McPherson is helped along the street by Alison Rae, boss of Dundee Blind and Partially Sighted Society. Pictures by Steve Brown.

Rose says pavement parking forces her to take her chances with the road.