A DISABILITY champion has welcomed steps taken by MPs calling for a blanket nationwide ban on the ‘blight’ of cars parking on pavements.

Margaret Burrow, chief executive of the Barrow and District Disability Association (BDDA), has welcomed a report carried out by the transport committee criticising the Government for the lack of action taken to address pavement parking.

The report said 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.

Mrs Burrow, a wheelchair user, said: “I agree with the proposed ban as I was once coming down Greengate Street in Barrow between Church Street and School Street and someone was parked there on the pavement - I could not get along the road.

“There was no other dropped kerbs around and so I was forced into the flow of traffic, which was pretty scary - it put me in peril.

“As an organisation, we have also had concerns from visually impaired individuals who are not expecting to come across a car blocking the pavement.This can really knock their confidence and they can actually become too scared to leave their homes.

“Sadly this is not a new issue and we have been dealing with this for 30 years, but it has become worse in recent years.”

MPs 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.”

A Department for Transport spokeswoman said: “We are committed to ensuring that our roads work for everyone, but we are also aware that pavement parking can cause real problems for a variety of road users.The department recently concluded a review to better understand the case for changing the law, and ministers will be considering our next steps.”