Sir, It is interesting to see that police in Tenby regard pavement parking as anti-social and appear to be tackling the problem by fining offenders. The inconsiderate motorist who parks on dropped-kerb areas is only part of the problem to wheelchair users who are greatly inconvenienced by this selfishness. If, for example, the pavement is blocked by a parked vehicle 20 or 30 yards away from the dropped kerb and the wheelchair user is unable to pass it to get to the dropped kerb, this police exercise, laudable though it may appear, is pretty nigh useless to that disabled person. I have made numerous complaints to the police regarding pavement parking, only to be told that it is perfectly legal for a vehicle to park on a pavement providing there is sufficient room for pedestrians, pushchairs and wheelchairs to pass through. The police appear not to care that visually impaired people are also entitled to walk our pavements. Any obstacle placed on the pavement is a potential hazard to them, so I would ask the police, who is responsible for any injuries that may befall those partially or non-sighted people if they come into contact with a vehicle parked on the pavement? I find the police advice both illogical and ridiculous since it conflicts with Road Traffic Act 34 (Law HA1835 Section 72) as detailed in the Highway Code thus: it is illegal to drive over a footpath, bridleway or pavement except to gain lawful access to property and parking on the pavement is not permitted, partially or wholly, unless signs state otherwise. If the information given to me on many occasions by various police officers is correct and pavement parking is actually legal, in what document can this absurd piece of legislation be found, but alternatively, if there is no such statute, from what source does the police assertion come? Police officers cannot in all conscience impose fines on those motorists 'illegally' parked on dropped kerb areas and then drive 20 or 30 yards further alongside the same pavement and ignore a car that is 'legally' parked over half or two-thirds of that surface without making an utter ass of the law and leaving themselves open to legal challenge by those 91 motorists on whom fines have already been imposed.
Sheila La Croix, 2 Glendower, Dinas Cross, Newport, Pembrokeshire.