Parked cars in Lincoln stop firefighters reaching emergencies

[Mike Sales]

Parts of Lincoln cannot be accessed by fire engines because of bad parking, firefighters have said.

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service said some of its vehicles cannot fit through parked cars in several areas.

As well as restricting access, sometimes fire crews find they are unable to connect hoses to street water hydrants.

Firefighter Ashley Doyle said: "time is crucial in emergencies, these streets cost us time."

"We must go down them very slowly and sometimes you cannot even do it.

We will get halfway and must turn around, which takes even longer," he said.

"Everyone has cars, a lot of people do not park sensibly, they leave the front or back of their vehicles sticking out.

I doubt this problem is unique.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-l ... e-67589707

[simonhill]

Unfortunately many will use this as an excuse and justification to park on the pavement.

It looks like all the cars on the left in the photo are partly on the pavement.

[PT1029]

The cars on the left of the photo are inded on the pavement. It might be that there are markings on the pavement denoting permitted parking on the pavement. When I first came across this locally, I saw of course disappointed. On the other hand, the markings might make parking on the pavement (that was happening anyway) more disceplined, and hopefully the markings nudged/deterred people from parking so far on the pavement that they blocked it. A sort of least worst solution to this modern problem. Bring back the Autin 7 I'd say.
Which reminds me that DfT did a consultation about parking on the pavements some years ago (I did a comprehensive response for our campaign group). Not heard a sound since.
We did a survey locally a while back, asking people why they had parked on the pavement (many narrow Victorian streets). Most responses were that they thought they were being considerate in helping traffic to pass. The though they were potentially blocking/obstructing pavement users simply had not occured to them.
With aplogies to any highway engineers/designers reading, it of of course footway, not pavement (except in the USA, where of course, the "pavement" is where motor vehicles belong!)

[Jdsk]

...
Which reminds me that DfT did a consultation about parking on the pavements some years ago (I did a comprehensive response for our campaign group). Not heard a sound since.
...

"Closed consultation: Pavement parking: options for change":
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultat ... for-change

Jonathan

[Bmblbzzz]

Of course it's not unique, it happens to ambulances too even though they're significantly smaller than fire engines.

Residents in the area claimed the council had granted too many parking permits for too few spaces,

Totally agree. We need to realise that the amount of parking is ultimately limited by the length of kerb available (simplified version). If a council's parking scheme isn't reducing the demand for parking, it won't work.

[PT1029]

Thanks jsk for the parking on the pavement consultation up date ("we've thought about and will continue to do so").
The mood music from the text was that a total ban isn't going to happen, more a case of local authorities will have the power (along with the police) to issue a penalty for "uneccesary" obstruction of the pavement (stating the need to issue guidance on what "uneccesary" actually is).

[Jdsk]

...
The mood music from the text was that a total ban isn't going to happen, more a case of local authorities will have the power (along with the police) to issue a penalty for "uneccesary" obstruction of the pavement (stating the need to issue guidance on what "uneccesary" actually is).

Yes.

We might see some leadership from individual towns and cities.

Jonathan

[Bmblbzzz]

We've had leadership from London on this for decades and so far only Scotland has taken it.

[simonhill]

If you look at the cars on the left in the photo in the link, it looks like they are parked on the pavement but leave a bit of their 'designated' parking space on the road free (the space up to the dashed line). Presumably the Council have marked out parking that doesn't leave enough room for all traffic. What hope.

It is fairly routine now to see people parking on the pavement even if there is nothing else in the road. It's becoming standard practice and It's all part of the way cars are taking over.

[Bmblbzzz]

If you look at the cars on the left in the photo in the link, it looks like they are parked on the pavement but leave a bit of their 'designated' parking space on the road free (the space up to the dashed line). Presumably the Council have marked out parking that doesn't leave enough room for all traffic. What hope.

Yes, it's common in older, narrower streets. Because the carriageways aren't wide enough for two rows of parked cars and enough space to get a wide vehicle, or even a third car, down the middle.

It is fairly routine now to see people parking on the pavement even if there is nothing else in the road. It's becoming standard practice and It's all part of the way cars are taking over.

Have taken over. But of course they haven't done it themselves, they're not animate.