ONLINE readers have sympathised with residents who are having their pavements blocked by inconsiderate parking and say the police should do more to punish the culprits.

We reported previously in your Worcester News how 18 residents of Hampton Close, St John’s, Worcester, had written to the paper to complain about parking problems.

Disabled amputee Kevin Candon said drivers often blocked the pavement completely so he could not get past in his wheelchair.

Another resident, Barry Freeman, said their rubbish was sometimes not collected for a week because the bin lorries could not get into the close.

A spokesman for Worcestershire County Council said there was a proposal under review for daytime parking restrictions west of Worcester, near the University of Worcester.

A spokesman for West Mercia Police urged people to continue to be “supportive and patient”, adding: “We cannot solve this overnight.”

Commenting on the story at worcesternews. co.uk, Dereck, of Fernhill Heath, posted: “Parking on pavements is an offence at any time, issue penalty notices each time. While the police do nothing, lives are put at risk. Parking of vehicles by people attending the university should be the university’s problem with on-campus parking instead of making householders suffer.

tinateabg, from Worcester, added: “Pavements are for people, not vehicles. Cars parked on the pavement could and should be ticketed as contravening the parking regulations, and for causing obstruction.”

skychip, from Worcester, wrote: “I do find that West Mercia Police are not really interested in dealing with the problem of parking on the pavement – it is only illegal (according to them) if someone can’t get a pushchair or wheelchair through on the pavement – but as you say parking on the pavement is an offence and should be dealt with whatever the situation.”

Piccolo, from Worcester, said “There is no ‘carte blanche’ offence of parking on the footway – it is not illegal on the face of it. It is illegal to cause an obstruction, but that would have to be proved on the circumstances of each individual case and the city council parking attendants wouldn’t have powers to deal with it.”

Verits, from Worcester, wrote: “Who and how to deal with these issues isn’t black and white. Blaming the council or the police will never deal with the matter. It comes down to parliament and getting the laws changed, they are out of date!

“If you are obstructed, by all means call the police and wait there to get the person reported, but who knows how long it could take for someone to turn up.”