A COUPLE with a young baby say motorists should show more respect after being forced walk into a busy road because of cars parked on the pavement.

James and Lily Grant, of Berwick Road, Marlow, are annoyed at vehicles on Dean Street stopping with two wheels on the kerb, meaning they cannot pass with a pram.

And Mr Grant says they should not be forced to take their lives into their hands daily with their six month old daughter just to walk into town.

He said: "It’s a real problem. This is a busy road and I know people want to park outside their houses but they’ve got to consider other people.

"People in wheelchairs can’t get through either and shouldn't have to go into the road. Correct me if I’m wrong but I thought pavements were for pedestrians.

"Parking is a real problem in Marlow I know, so if people are being forced to park on pavements, the council should create some more residents parking at the other side of the road."

Mr Grant says the problem has been reported to police, and hopes enforcement will discourage drivers from leaving their car on the street.

However, Thames Valley Police say blocking pavements is not a criminal offence and the issue has been devolved to Bucks County Council.

But, Transport for Bucks, the council department in charge of roads, says its parking contractor can only issue tickets in areas without restrictions when a car is obstructing a dropped kerb or driveway.

And with no parking restrictions in place on the stretch of road, Mr and Mrs Grant would be forced to lobby the town council and their county councillor for the spot to be reassessed.

A town-wide parking review, commissioned over two years ago with the opening of Sainsbury’s on West Street, has still not been completed.

The Bucks County Council study is awaiting data from the Automatic Number Plate Recognition System, being rolled out in Wycombe District Council’s car parks this summer.

It is hoped the long-awaited review will address the problem on the town’s streets, where residents are calling for permits to guarantee spaces near their homes.