PEOPLE in East Oxford are celebrating a key victory in their campaign to end parking chaos in streets off Cowley Road, Oxford.

The East Oxford Safe Streets campaign fears children are being put in danger by commuters parking on pavements.

They were backed by the founder of Helen and Douglas House, Sister Frances Dominica, who warned it was almost impossible for youngsters in wheelchairs to use pavements around the world famous hospices.

But the campaign won a major success this week when Oxfordshire County Council's decision-making cabinet agreed to consult on residents' demands to extend parking restrictions to a larger area of East Oxford than had been originally planned.

Residents want to see a controlled parking zone introduced south west of Cowley Road, including the Magdalen Road area.

This would be in addition to the zone already proposed for an area around Divinity Road.

Hurst Street and St Mary's Road Residents' Associations and Green city councillor Craig Simmons all back the campaign.

County councillor Ian Hudspeth, cabinet member for transport, said: "We've listened to what people in this area of Oxford have to say.

"They have a strong case and we want to formally consult on parking zones for both the Divinity Road and Magdalen Road areas.

"The case presented to us has quite obviously been heartfelt and genuine.

"We will now see what the consultation brings back and take matters from there."

Roman Krznaric, of St Mary's Road Residents' Association, said: "Given the initial refusal of the council to fund a controlled parking zone in the Magdalen Road Area and the general funding cuts faced by the council, our campaign to secure financing for both areas in East Oxford has been a huge success."

Last week Sister Frances described the parking situation around her hospice as "crazy and chaotic".

And she feared the lack of space on the surrounding pavements was creating "a dangerous situation," as it became "virtually impossible" for children from both Helen House and seriously ill young people at the neighbouring Douglas House to travel any distance on pavements.

One mother, Fran Reichenberg of St Mary's Road, whose six-year-old son ended up in a wheelchair after breaking a leg, said: "It was not possible to push him to school on the pavement because of the number of cars on the pavement. You have to go into junctions blind. Goodness knows how people from the hospice manage."