READERS have rallied in support of a resident's campaign against 'inconsiderate' pavement parking.

Steve Wheeler told the Malvern Gazette he has folded 100 wing mirrors in the last year as part of his campaign.

Mr Wheeler, aged 68, claimed to be one of 273 people who make up a group called Malvern Against Pavement Parking.

Many readers shared Mr Wheeler's frustration, such as Denise Preston, who found she found a car parked on the pavement in a cul-de-sac, near Barnards Green Road, Malvern.

Ms Preston said: “[I was] trying to get a wheelchair disabled passenger safely past this badly parked car for an appointment.

“It meant struggling to get past this car, which I could not do unless taking the wheelchair and passenger out into oncoming traffic.

“Which was not just physically a struggle for me with a heavy passenger but also dangerous for both of us.

“Very inconsiderate! It was there for at least two hours, as we had the same struggle on our return.”

Ms Preston said she understands the difficulty of parking in Malvern but called on people to use car parks.

“Come on, all you thoughtless drivers, have a heart and think of the disabled, not just yourselves and your own convenience,” she said.

Sally Carter, who lives near Quest Hills Road, in Malvern, said she finds it hard to get her mobility scooter past cars parked on the pavement.

“I am forced to use the road, which is dangerous in itself as that is narrow too.”

Ms Carter insisted that she doesn’t touch the cars but said she finds it very frustrating due to her disability.

Marie Gunton added: “Parking on the pavement is not just discourteous, dangerous and a nuisance, it is also an offence."

Ms Gunton says a vehicle parked on the pavement in Cockshot Road, Malvern, left just six inches of space for pedestrians.

“Anybody in a wheelchair or pushing a pram would have had no choice but to go into the road to get around it,” she said.

“This is becoming a real problem all over Malvern.”

Many readers believe the issue is down to a lack of parking spaces, although Ms Gunton does not share this view.

Sam Heywood, who works in Worcester, said: “Maybe if there were more car parking spaces available in the whole of Malvern people wouldn't be parking half on the pavement!

“Barnards Green is horrendous, probably along with other areas of Malvern!”

Carrie Tandy believes the narrow streets in Malvern leave makes parking a difficult issue.

“Imagine how you would feel if everyone started parking fully on the road and an emergency vehicle couldn't get through! I know which one I see as the bigger problem,” she said.

Phil Dowdall, who works in Malvern, added: “If the pavement is wide enough for safe use with the parked cars by the disabled what is the problem?

“Priority is for emergency vehicles.”