Motorists in city could soon face £70 fine for parking outside their homes
A ban on pavement parking is being planned to increase the safety of pedestrians. Hayley Parker looks at what this could mean for families living in Stoke-on-trent’s narrow and crowded streets
DRIVERS could be hit with a fine for parking outside their home - if a new law comes into force this month.
A nationwide ban on pavement parking would see some motorists unable to leave their vehicles outside their property.
The change is proposed to maximise the safety of pedestrians, particularly those with a disability, and parents with prams or buggies.
It is in response to concerns raised within communities around pavement parking and the risk of injury for those walking.
But according to Select Car Leasing, parking on the pavement could soon mean a £70 fine for all UK drivers – including residents in Stoke-on-trent.
The change could have a huge impact in North Staffordshire where there are many narrow roads lined with terraced houses.
However, there is likely to be some clemency to be determined by local authorities.
Daryl Tavernor, a digital advertising consultant who has used a wheelchair since the age of eight, said: “I’m a wheelchair user with a genetic condition called spinal muscular atrophy.
“UK residential estates, especially newly built estates, suffer from bad parking habits.
“People seem to just dump their cars on the pavement, wheels pointing out, and leaving little room for pedestrians to safely pass.
“As a wheelchair user, this creates major issues. We can’t just slip past a gap or walk around the car in the road.
“I often have to use the road instead of the pavement due to inconsiderate parking.
“For wheelchair users, it’s not just the lack of space on the pavements. It’s people parking in front of dropped kerbs too.
“This creates big problems if I have to use the road to get around a car parked on the pavement only to find another vehicle parked over the dropped kerb, leaving me stuck in the road.
“I welcome tougher rules to clamp down on inconsiderate parkers, which puts the lives of vulnerable children and wheelchair users at risk.”