Aideen Blackborough, a disabled mother from Birmingham living with cerebral palsy, has spoken out strongly for a ban on pavement parking following a frightening incident last year. While taking her child to school in Great Barr, Aideen was forced to navigate around a car parked illegally on the pavement. This caused her to fall out of her wheelchair and be left lying in the road, with her child witnessing the distressing moment.
“This shouldn’t happen to anyone,” Aideen said. “As a wheelchair user and a parent, pavement parking consistently puts me and my children at risk. Drivers blocking the pavement force me into the street and into traffic just to get by.”
Her experience underscores a daily challenge faced by many disabled and vulnerable pedestrians who find themselves squeezed off pavements by illegally parked vehicles. Pavements are intended for safe pedestrian use, yet many drivers continue to ignore this, undermining pedestrian safety.
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Cerebral palsy, a condition affecting movement and coordination due to brain development issues before or shortly after birth, sometimes presents with weak limbs, involuntary movements, and difficulties with speech and vision. For individuals like Aideen, a clear and accessible pavement is vital for safe mobility.
Living Streets, a UK charity dedicated to promoting walking, has campaigned against pavement parking for over 50 years. Their recent initiative has mapped over 1,500 reports of vehicles obstructing pavements, highlighting numerous hotspots in Birmingham alone.
While pavement parking is banned in London and Scotland, legal measures elsewhere in England remain patchy and largely insufficient. Local councils have limited enforcement powers, leaving many pedestrians vulnerable.
Catherine Woodhead, CEO of Living Streets, expressed frustration at the slow governmental response: “We’ve waited five years for action after a consultation on pavement parking. Meanwhile, pedestrians continue to be forced into traffic, risking injury daily.”
Accessibility campaigner and Living Streets Trustee Folkert Veenstra echoed these concerns: “Blocked pavements force wheelchair users, parents with prams, visually impaired individuals, and older adults with walking aids into dangerous traffic conditions. It’s a systemic problem that urgently needs addressing.”
Aideen’s experience is a powerful reminder that pavement parking is not just an inconvenience—it’s a serious safety hazard. Stronger laws and enforcement are needed to ensure pavements remain safe spaces for all pedestrians.