East Bergholt's Zoe Newson speaks out on pavement parking

Paralympic powerlifter Zoe Newson made the appeal after getting fed up with cars blocking a safe route for her sister and her guide dog near her home in East Bergholt.

Zoe’s sister Lisa, who is blind, has dealt with the problem for around a year.

“People park on the paths and her guide dog won’t take Lisa on the grass or the road because she doesn’t know if it’s safe,” explained Zoe.

Disrupted - Lisa Newson and her guide dog (Image: Zoe Newson)

The 31-year-old added: “She has to call our parents to come and get her and it isn’t fair on them.”

Inconsiderate drivers have had a significant impact on 36-year-old Lisa’s confidence, who now fears taking on basic outdoor tasks.

Her sister continued: “It’s had a big effect on Lisa’s confidence. She used to walk every day with the dog but now she doesn’t really want to because of the issues with cars.

“It’s getting so bad now. People just need to use their common sense.”

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The athlete, who won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games last year, fears the issue is getting worse after observing a parent having to walk in the road with a pushchair and toddler.

A leading disability charity has echoed Zoe’s thoughts, urging motorists to exercise caution.

Tom Marsland, policy manager at disability equality charity Scope, said: “Parking on a pavement may seem harmless, but it turns pavements into dangerous mazes for many disabled people.

“Cars on pavements can confuse guide dogs or even force visually impaired people to step into the road so they can get past. If you use a wheelchair or have mobility issues, a parked car could totally block your path.”

Take care - Scope (Image: Scope)

He continued: “This is an issue disabled people face often, but it’s easily preventable. We’d urge drivers to think twice before parking on a pavement.”

Causing an obstruction to the highway and driving on the pavement are illegal and in some instances, it can be reported to the police.

Speaking previously, Colchester resident Robert Harvey said: “I use a mobility scooter and if a vehicle is parked on the pavement I’m forced out into the road. This puts me in danger and road users get annoyed with me.”