| Administration leader and Lochee West councillor Jill Shimi said she has been concerned about the prevalence of pavement parking in the city generally and in her own ward in particular.
“I know this is a problem throughout the city and it is a particular problem in the Lochee West area when football matches are held at the ground of Lochee United FC,” she said.
Mrs Shimi said vehicles blocking pavements constituted a hazard for many pedestrians, including those with disabilities.
“Cars parking on the pavement cause considerable obstructions and make life very difficult for people with prams and buggies and especially difficult for wheelchair users.”
She pointed out that such obstructions were not only an inconvenience for pedestrians but could be actively dangerous by forcing some of them on to the carriageway.
“I have reported this matter to the police and was informed that it is an offence to drive on to the pavement, but this must be witnessed by two police officers,” she said.
“However, it is not an offence simply to be parked on the pavement.
“This seems to be a bizarre and unhelpful situation which makes it difficult to tackle the issue of irresponsible motorists putting pedestrians’ safety at risk.”
Councillor Shimi has been in touch with Dundee West MSP Kate Maclean and asked her to bring the matter to the attention of the Scottish Executive.
“I’m hoping the Executive, perhaps through the justice minister, will take this up and see if anything can be done to rectify what appears to be a very strange anomaly in the law,” she said. |
