Councillors in Weston village in Bath are calling upon local motorists in the area to be considerate of pedestrians when parking their car, after reports of vehicles parking on pavements.
In recent weeks, Weston Councillors Colin Barrett and Matthew Davies have been contacted by a number of residents raising concerns over an increase in the number of cars parking on the pavement in parts of the area.
Some of the roads most affected by the issue include Lansdown Lane, Purlewent Drive and Southlands, though the issue has been raised by residents throughout the area.
The councillors have raised the issue with both the council and police to ask that the situation is monitored more closely and where necessary enforcement action taken against those causing an obstruction.
However, Matthew and Colin have said that the best way to deal with the issue is for local people to self-enforce by ensuring they park considerately and do not cause an obstruction to pedestrians.
Councillor Colin Barrett (Cons, Weston) said: “A number of the complaints I’ve received about pavement parking have come from elderly or disabled people, who can find it especially difficult to get past a car if they are obstructing the pavement.
“It’s also a particular issue for parents with push-chairs, who then have to walk out onto the road to get past the car.
“Obviously there are circumstances where the road would be blocked if the cars were not partially parked on the pavement, but this isn’t the case in many of the instances I’ve been contacted about, and motorists should be aware that driving onto a footway or causing an obstruction can be an offence.”
Fellow Weston Councillor Matthew Davies (Cons) added: “We’ve asked that the council and police monitor the pavement parking issue in Weston and take appropriate action if needed.
“However, the best way to address this issue is simply for drivers to be mindful of pedestrians when parking their car and ensure that enough room is left to get past the car without having to go out onto the road. It’s just a matter of being considerate.”
