'I don't want pavement parking endangering my child'

Pavement parking in a Surrey town creates an "obvious danger" for pedestrians and causes issues for disabled people, residents have said.

Pedestrians in Caterham say they are pushed off the pavement by cars, vans and mopeds blocking walkways in the town centre.

Tandridge District Council is considering a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO), which would see drivers fined up to £100 for blocking pavements and nuisance parking.

Resident Hayley Lawrence said: "I don't want to put the safety of my girls in danger just so someone has a more convenient place to pick up their takeaway."

She added: "Sometimes if you are having to go into the road to get to where you want to go that is an obvious danger."

Gaynor Berrington, who runs Berrington Jewellers, said that early evenings could be "chaos", adding: "I bring my mother-in-law, who is disabled, down to the hairdressers and if people are using disabled bays when they shouldn't, that makes it difficult."

If approved, drivers would be fined £100, reduced to £60 if paid early, for pavement parking, "causing obstruction" or "excessive horn use", the council said.

The plans are to go before Tandridge's community services committee.

Caterham ward councillor Jenny Gaffney said there had been a "lack of enforcement" and it was "time that we do something".

Disability campaigners also said that pavement parking caused issues for wheelchair users and people with pushchairs and buggies.

Tanya Braun, of campaign group Living Streets, said: "Pavements are for people and it's really important to give people the space to walk safely as feeling unsafe is putting some people off walking at all or even leaving the house."

In January, the government announced more powers for local authorities to tackle pavement parking.

Guidance on the powers is due later this year, the Department for Transport said.

Follow BBC Surrey on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.