Pavement parking should be banned in England

FRIDAY, November 22 marked four years since the previous government’s consultation on pavement parking in England closed.

Cars parked on, and sometimes hogging the whole pavement, will be a familiar sight to many.

Pavement parking is dangerous especially for families with young children, people with sight loss and disabled people.

A recent poll found that 87 per cent of parents have had to walk in the road because of a vehicle blocking the pavement. It damages pavement surfaces too.

Living Streets has been campaigning on this issue for over 50 years and it's high time we saw an end to the problem.

Pavement parking has been banned (with exemptions) in London since the 1970s. Scotland adopted a similar approach to London which came into force earlier this year.

The Welsh Government has indicated they will take action on pavement parking – but England is way behind.

We hope your readers will join Living Streets and supporters like me, in urging the new Government to deal with the troubling legacy of pavement parking once and for all. Everyone will be the better for it.

Jane Marsh,

Rawcliffe Lane,

York

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St Andrewgate already has enough traffic problems

MAY I inform DM Deamer that one of his proposed solutions to city centre cycling (Letter 23/11) by installing a cycling hub in St Andrewgate is a little late - a 28 capacity hub/cycle rack has been in place at the top of the street very near to King's Square for over 20 years!

Very popular with cyclists, it is often full. No other space is available to expand this facility.

St Andrewgate used to be a very quiet residential street. Not any more. Every day permit holders with vehicles of all shapes and sizes park on the left-hand side of the road from the bollards near Barnitts, narrowing the road width as far down as the junction with Spen Lane - sometimes restricting entry to the garages and homes of residents in Granary Court.

Other drivers park lower down alongside St Andrew's Church.

Another problem is inconsiderate drivers parking far too close to the entrance and exit to St Andrew Place, meaning that large delivery and removal vehicles are forced to mount the opposite pavement in order drive away via the narrow, twisting Spen Lane.

Food delivery staff on cycles, mopeds and scooters are often a problem as well, regularly speeding down the road in both directions.

For their own safety, I have far too many times had to warn road-walking visitors to keep a sharp look-out for "low flying cyclists" hurtling along as they deliver their orders.

York's traffic wardens do their best to curb illegal and obstructive parking, but some motorists still chance their luck.

Residents of St Andrewgate daily have enough traffic problems without adding yet more!

Derek Slater,

Address supplied

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Name the 500 farmers

STARMER is adamant only 500 farmers will be affected by new inheritance taxes. If this is so, he must know who they are, so why not name them then the rest of the industry can carry on doing what they do best - farming - without any financial worries.

Peter Rickaby,

West Park,

Selby

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Pension is no benefit

THE state pension is NOT a benefit - it is money we have put in to the system.

Rosemary Stubbs

Wyre Mews,

Haxby, York

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