Pavement parking problems in Calderdale as MPs call for national ban

In the last week officers from the Calder Valley Neighbourhood Policing teams have attended Amisfield Road in Hipperholme after complaints of cars parking on the pavement causing an unnecessary obstruction to pedestrians.

A spokesperson for the team said: "There must be enough room for a wheelchair or pram to pass the car easily. If this is not the case the owner of the vehicle is committing an offence and this can result in a fine of £30.

"Please be considerate when parking and consider how your actions affect others."

The patrols come as MPs called for a blanket nationwide ban on the "blight" of car parking on pavements.

The transport committee criticised Government inaction in a new report, with witnesses telling the committee's inquiry that the worst case of pavement parking was effectively trapping disabled, elderly and vulnerable people and making them "afraid to leave their homes".

The cross-party group said blocked off walkways were also exacerbating the issue of loneliness in Britain.

They have recommended that ministers ban pavement parking across England, and hand local councils the powers to crack down on what they dubbed "anti-social parking behaviour".

Lilian Greenwood MP, who chairs the transport committee, said: "We are deeply concerned that the Government has failed to act on this issue, despite long-standing promises to do so.

"This is a thorny problem that may be difficult to resolve to the satisfaction of all, but the Government's inaction has left communities blighted by unsightly and obstructive pavement parking and individuals afraid or unable to leave their homes or safely navigate the streets.

"In the long-term we believe the Government should ban pavement parking across England - as is already the case in London.

"Local authorities could create exemptions if they choose to do so, but drivers would know that unless it was expressly permitted it was illegal to park their car on the pavement," added the Labour politician.

The committee said it recognised a national ban would "take time", and recommended the Government run an "awareness campaign" about the "negative impacts" of pavement parking in the meantime.

The Pavement Parking report, published on Monday, said: "Pavement parking affects everyone who uses the pavement.

"Pavement parking puts pedestrians in danger when they are forced to move into the road to get around a vehicle or where there are trip hazards due to damage to the pavement.

"People with mobility or visual impairments, as well as those who care for others, are disproportionately affected.

"It exacerbates, and is a cause of,