"I often go home in tears" - the effects of pavement parking
UK charity Guide Dogs has called for the government to crackdown on pavement parking.
Julie Pilsworth from Grimsby uses a powerchair and her guide dog Maeve to get about, but is obstructed by cars parked on the pavement on a daily basis. Without a safe space to cross the road, she often has to take 20-minute detours and struggles to get to doctor's appointments.
She said: "It makes me feel really upset, because often people come outside and they're abusive to me because I've kindly asked them to move out of the way.
"You don't know if someone's going to attack you. When someone sounds really aggressive it makes me feel so frightened and I often go home either in tears or feeling like not going out again because you just don't feel safe."
A YouGov survey showed 85% of people know pavement parking impacts the safety of visually impaired pedestrians, yet it happens all to frequently. Guide Dogs have launched a petition for stronger laws around pavement parking, citing the danger people can face if forced off the pavement and into the road.
Maeve is a six-year-old Labrador who is able to guide Julie around most obstacles, helping her progress past most - but not all - pavement parking.
Julie said: "Before I had Maeve I was too anxious to go out on my own, I used a long ball cane with my powerchair. Since getting Maeve she's enabled me to get out independently with her by my side, and she keeps us both safe."
Julie warned that if the law doesn't change, she fears that it's only a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt as a result of pavement parking.