Pavement parkers

SIR – Local authorities should be able to ban drivers from parking on pavements (report, March 25).

When pushing my grandson in his pram, I often become frustrated and concerned for his safety when confronted with cars parked on pavements with little room to get past.

Drivers may think they are helping with traffic flow, but parking on pavements with no consideration for wheelchairs or prams should be an offence. Martin Wathes Witney, Oxfordshire

SIR – I see this problem from both sides, having wheeled my disabled wife round our streets for seven years. I have also had to drive our disability buggy. The cars on the pavement are fine as long as they have left just enough room to get past. And they usually do.

I also see the motorist’s point of view. Our residential streets are narrow and lined with cars on both sides. If they did not park partly on the pavements, emergency vehicles simply could not get between them. If they were not allowed to park partially on pavements, where on earth would they all go?

I blame those who designed our Victorian streets originally for not foreseeing the dominance of cars. Francis Rutter Norwich