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Should drivers who park their vehicles on pavements be punished?

The government's planning to introduce a £70 fine for people who do it in England.

Pavement parking is already illegal in London and that ban could be extended around the country.

It's hoped the rule would make life easier and safer for blind and disabled people, the elderly, and parents with pushchairs.

Often, if a car is parked too far on to a pavement, people can't use the path safely and might be forced to walk into the road or change their route.

However, some people argue that it can be necessary sometimes, for example, to make sure there is enough space in the road for emergency vehicles, buses and refuse lorries to drive.

But what do you think?

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Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, has said that the government wants to encourage more people to become more active by walking, so it is vital that pavements are accessible for everyone.

Recent research from charity Guide Dogs indicated that around a third (32%) of people with visual impairments and almost half (48%) of wheelchair users are less keen to go out on their own because of antisocial pavement parking.

Stephen Edwards from Living Streets, a charity that encourages more people to walk, said: "We're regularly contacted by disabled and older people who feel trapped in their homes because there isn't enough room on the pavement for wheelchairs or mobility scooters."

Jack Cousens from the AA, who represents drivers, said that "any driver who deliberately parks and obstructs any pedestrian - especially those with visual impairments, in wheelchairs, those pushing pushchairs - and forces people into the road or makes them abandon their walk completely, deserve to be punished".

But he doesn't think all cars should be banned from parking on all pavements.

Instead he wants to see local authorities looking at each street to see where pavement parking could be allowed, and then marking out on the pavement where people are allowed to park.

He says that way, everybody is clear how much can be shared and how much cannot be shared, and ensures pedestrians can continue their journey.

Stephen says he accepts that there will be some situations where it's not possible to park anywhere else but on the pavement.

He says in those cases, local authorities should be able to set aside some streets that aren't covered by the ban - but that this should only be in the minority of cases.

Both Stephen and Jack think the reason so many people do park on pavements is because they aren't aware of the problems this can cause for pedestrians, but are instead trying to make sure they leave enough space on the road for big vehicles, like bin lorries and emergency service vehicles such as fire engines, to drive past.

Let us know what you think in the comments.