PATHS along a busy street are being labelled a 'car park' by people forced to walk in the road because of pavement parking.

Cars and other vehicles are constantly being parked on paths along Fort Royal Hill forcing pedestrians into the road.

A Traffic Regulation Order was put in place on the road on Friday (September 17) giving the city council greater powers to fine people parked on pavements.

“There is no pavement on our road anymore. It’s just become a car park," said Penny Perrett who lives along Fort Royal Hill.

"I always have to walk in the road. When I have my grandson it’s a nightmare because I can’t use a pushchair on the pavement.

"I don’t want to teach him that it’s ok to walk in the road."

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Kevin Grover, who lives at the top of the hill, said he almost always has to push his son’s wheelchair in the road because of vehicles parked so far on the pavement.

"Traffic often goes up and down Fort Royal Hill quite fast which makes this risky," he added.

A Worcester City Council spokesperson said: “Worcestershire County Council put a Traffic Regulation Order in place last week at Fort Royal Hill.

"This will give City Council civil enforcement officers greater powers to fine people who have parked on single or double lines.

"As a result we have now stepped up patrols in the area.”

Cars parking on pavements, particularly in narrow roads, is an issue across the city.

In Fort Royal Hill, there are fears that new single yellow lines painted on London Road will exacerbate the issue and force even more people to park on nearby Fort Royal Hill.

Resident Tracey Biggs said the issue needs to be looked at across the city.

"I’d like to be able to work in partnership with the county council to try to find solutions for these traffic related problems that so many of us face.

"I think a cross Worcester strategy for parking and traffic management needs to be developed.

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"To look at how resident parking could be developed across much wider areas.

"At the same time, a review of public and alternative transport is needed to enable people to be able to travel without always using cars.

"For our street (Fort Royal Hill), I think there are solutions for traffic problems. We just need a council who will listen and work with us.”

A spokesperson for Worcestershire County Council said, “The single yellow line painted on London Road is part of an experimental Traffic Regulation Order. We will monitor and review the impact after six months, including displaced parking to the surrounding roads.

“We are happy to engage with residents over highways matters. We suggest that concerns are initially raised with your local councillor.”