'It’s so dangerous': Mum forced to walk in road with pram leaves notes for 'inconsiderate' drivers blocking pavements
24 April 2024, 14:12 | Updated: 24 April 2024, 20:54
A mum from Essex is leaving notes on cars that are blocking pavements, after being forced to push her pram and newborn baby into the road to get around them.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
Louise Brown, who lives in the village of Ingatestone, near Brentwood, told LBC it is an ongoing problem in the area.
“It’s so dangerous! Bearing in mind that I’ve got my baby with me and the dog.
"I don’t want to have to go in the road. I shouldn’t have to. Pavements are pavements. They’re for people.”
Louise said the idea came to her a couple of weeks ago when she was out with her newborn and pram and about to walk around a car parked on the pavement, by going into the road.
'Ridiculous'
She said: “There were so many cars parked on the pavement... and I thought to myself - this is ridiculous.
"I cannot walk in a straight line for the entire length of this road. And I thought to myself, I need a notepad. I need to leave some notes!”
She has been doing it ever since and has received a lot of positive feedback after posting a photo of one of her notes on a local discussion page online.
“I can’t believe the response this has had," she said. "Honestly... It’s amazing.... I’ve received some really nice messages, some really nice comments.
"All positive, saying I’m doing a really good thing. It just takes that one person to highlight the issue and everyone sort of jumps on.”
Louise says she hopes her notes are being read because she just wants drivers to be more aware of how dangerous it is for pedestrians to be walking in the road.
"I’m trying to be polite. And I’ve just said please consider where you’re parking. You’re pushing me into the road with a pram and a newborn.
"Please don’t take up too much room and be considerate of others. As I said I’m just trying to be polite. Manners cost you nothing.
"I don’t want to have to completely stop pavement parking if people have to do that, if there’s no other choice...
"But it’s the people who think they’ve got the right to take up the complete pavement. I find it fascinating. I think it’s very, very inconsiderate."
The mum said she called 111 about the issue but was told by Essex Police that it was a council matter.
However, the South Essex Parking Partnership say this is classed as an obstruction and therefore a police matter.
“SEPP Civil Enforcement Officers only have powers of enforcement on the public highway where there are prescribed restrictions as indicated by specific lines and signs. In this case the road is unrestricted and has no lines or signs," they said.
"The Traffic Management Act 2004 stipulates that the police still have the responsibility for parking enforcement of offences committed on the public highway which are not covered by prescribed restrictions including footway parking.”
Essex Police have been approached by LBC for comment.
Read more: ‘Major incident’ declared at school as police and air ambulance rush to the scene
