KEITH HIGHLIGHTS PROBLEM OF PAVEMENT PARKING

Keith Brown MSP, Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Clackmannanshire and Dunblane constituency, met with representatives of the charity Guide Dogs whilst attending the recent Scottish National Party Conference.

After meeting with those directly affected by the problems pavement parking and inaccessible streets can pose for people with sight loss, Keith has spoken in support of the Guide Dogs’ campaign, saying:

“I was delighted to meet Jon – and, of course, Sam – at the Guide Dogs stall while I was at the recent SNP Conference and to hear directly from people directly affected by the problems pavement parking and inaccessible streets can cause.

“Cars blocking pavements are one of the main barriers preventing people with sight loss from walking safely in our streets and it is an issue here in my constituency of Clackmannanshire & Dunblane as it is across the country.  

“Street clutter and inaccessible streets are major challenges which prevent people with sight loss from getting out and about independently and it is incumbent on those of us who do not face these challenges to be aware of the difficulties we might inadvertently cause. 

“That is why the Scottish Government has introduced legislation to prevent obstructive and inconsiderate parking.  But parking enforcement officers can’t be everywhere and stop every incident.  It is up to each and every one of us to park sensibly, sensitively and not selfishly.

Niall Foley, External Affairs Manager at Guide Dogs Scotland, said:  

“The way our streets are designed and used directly affects the confidence of people with sight loss to live independent lives. 

“Parking on pavements is a nuisance for everyone but is potentially dangerous if you have sight loss and are forced into the road.

“Scotland is leading the way in bringing forwards pavement parking legislation and we look forward to working with local authorities and MSPs to tackle this problem.”