A petition has called for tougher actions to stop cars parking on Bradford’s pavements, and says the issue is “a major concern on every local street.”
The e-petition says pavement parking can block people in their homes and force wheelchair users and parents with prams onto the road to try and navigate the obstructions.
It is currently live on Bradford Council’s website, and runs until late November.
Pavement parking is a hugely contentious issue in the District, with rows of cars parked outside shops and take aways a common sight on some streets.
Although the Highway Code says vehicles should not park on the pavement, it is not illegal – except in London and Scotland.
The Department of Transport held a national consultation on over five years ago, leading to over 15,000 responses.
However, there has yet to be any change to legislation following the consultation.
The new petition calls for the Council to bring new local laws in relation to on street footpath parking and for more frequent Council checks to stop car owners/drivers from parking in a way that causes obstructions to pavements.
The petition adds: “This is a major concern on every local street of Bradford.”
It goes on to say many cars in Bradford “casually” park on pavements when there is no immediate street parking space.
It adds: “Such nuisance and obstructive parking needs council attention and action for prevention.
“On-street footpath parking causes high risk and hazards for those who also need to get in and out of their gardens and onto a public foot path.
“Lack of space for wheelchairs, prams, pushchairs, and parents with toddlers to walk on footpaths mean they have to go onto roads with cars passing just to get past.
“This causes high risk danger for accident and hazards.”
There should be daily parking checks in hot spot areas and new parking regulations introduced – the petition adds.
So far 25 people have signed the petition, which can be found here -https://bradford.moderngov.co.uk/
If enough people sign the petition, it will be heard at a future meeting of Bradford Council.
The issue was discussed at a Bradford Council meeting last year, when Councillor Alex Ross Shaw, Executive for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, said pavement parking was “one of the most frustrating issues to deal with.”
But he added: “We need to differentiate between a careless driver who parks their car entirely on the pavement rather than park 10 yards down the road, and people who live in an area where they have to park partly on the pavement to avoid collisions, and leaves plenty of space for pedestrians.”
By: Chris Young, LDRS
