The boss of a North Yorkshire charity has welcomed the news that the law on pavement parking is to be reviewed.
The Government made the commitment after MP Simon Hoare had put forward a Private Members’ Bill calling for the law to be changed so that vehicles could only be left on specially designated footpaths.
However, Mr Hoare withdrew the Bill after Government Minister and North Yorkshire MP, Robert Goodwill, that improving access for all pedestrians remains a priority for the Government.
Jackie Snape, Chief Executive of Harrogate-based Disability Action Yorkshire, said:
Whilst I welcome this news, it has been a very long time coming.
Last year, one of our service users, Nick Moxon, led a local campaign urging people to think about the impact that parking cars and vans on pavements could have on blind and a raft of different people, including the visually impaired and wheelchair and mobility scooter users.
He decided to make a stance after frequently finding his path into Harrogate town centre blocked by vehicles and other obstacles, including wheelie bins.
Whilst I accept that on certain occasions there is no alternative, and to leave a car in the road could block the path of emergency vehicles, often there is no excuse.
We know that the wheels of Government can turn very slowly so it may be a very long time before this makes it on to the statute books. That being the case, I would still ask car drivers to think carefully where and how they park.
