Pavement parking 'shrinks' disabled people's world
Jennie BerryDrivers parking across pavements in the North East and Cumbria is making life "frustrating", "more dangerous", and "frightening", some disabled people have said.
Half of all councils in England actively encourage parking on pavements, BBC research has found, with councils such as Cumberland, Sunderland, and Durham allowing it - and others such as Newcastle and Middlesbrough prohibiting it.
A Local Government Association spokesperson said councils "have to balance the needs of all users".
Wheelchair-user Jennie Berry from Hartlepool, of Sociability App - which helps disabled people find accessible places - said the issue was making some people not want to leave their homes.
"I'm already facing a whole host of barriers," the business engagement lead for the app told BBC Radio Tees.
She said obstructions on the pavement left her in the middle of the road facing abuse from drivers.
"I get cars beeping at me and drivers hanging out the window, screaming and shouting at me.
"There are just so many obstacles we're fighting which make it so much harder for disabled people to leave the house and feel confident and comfortable doing so," she said.
"It makes disabled people's worlds shrink - it's not worth the anxiety."
Mark Denten/BBCDavid Morton from Carlisle, who was registered blind in 1993 and uses a sight dog, said: "There are occasions when the whole pavement's blocked and the only way round is getting in the road - it's more dangerous.
"I'm sure people don't do it intentionally, they've got a lot on their minds and they park where they can - but it does get beyond a joke."
He said he did not understand why pavement parking was allowed when driving on pavements was a criminal offence.
He also thought parking on the pavements could damage them, which would then need to be repaired at a council's expense.
The number of licensed vehicles in the UK hit a record high last year, with 42.3 million as of December 2025, and cars have been getting wider - leaving even less room for more cars.
Across the region, policies differ between councils, with some allowing pavement parking and others prohibiting it, although fines can only be issued by police officers.
The Department for Transport said it was planning to give councils "stronger powers to tackle dangerous and inconsiderate pavement parking".
A Local Government Association spokesperson said councils "have to balance the needs of all users".
"Sometimes, especially on older or tightly built streets, they have to allow some pavement parking - for example to ensure emergency vehicles, refuse trucks, and buses can safely pass," they said.
"The new powers are positive and will give more practical tools to deal with obstructive parking."
'Frightening'
Daryn Robinson from South Shields, who uses a wheelchair because he has Cerebral Palsy and is quadriplegic, said navigating the pavement in the North East was a "nightmare".
He told BBC Radio Newcastle even getting off the pavement could be a "real job" because drivers sometimes parked across the dropped kerbs too - which is illegal everywhere.
He said: "It's really hard and really annoying, it can add an hour to your journey because there's no way around - it's no good at all."
He added he had "plenty of near misses" by having to travel in the road.
"It's really frightening," he said.
Additional reporting by Amy Oakden, Mark Denten and Mike Zeller.
