SELFISH "pavement parkers" are causing misery for pedestrians who are forced to either squeeze past cars or walk in the road, endangering their lives.

Cheryl Symons, who is disabled, is exasperated with motorists who block access by parking on kerbs.

The mobility scooter user is calling on drivers to be more considerate.

Her plea comes after 63-year-old Robert Light said he was "risking life and limb" going on busy streets in his wheelchair to avoid cars on pavements.

Mrs Symons said she was also forced to drive her scooter on the road after a motorist had completely blocked the pavement with their vehicle.

The 49-year-old said: "Their selfishness is putting my life in danger. I had to wait 15 minutes before it was safe to go on the road. There was traffic coming in the opposite direction.

"It infuriates me."

She is still furious about the incident in Banbury Road, Kidlington, almost a week after it happened.

Mrs Symons, of Wise Avenue, also in Kidlington, said: "My scooter is road legal but I don't like driving on the road as I don't feel safe.

"It is not just me who it affects. What about people with buggies or older people?"

Helen Crozier, Oxfordshire County Council's civil enforcement manager for transport, said: "It is unfortunate that the Traffic Management Act, which is in draft form, has not assisted local authorities enough with the problems of pavement parking when there are no regulations such as single or double yellow lines to enforce.

"It remains a situation that should be dealt with by the police under the regulations covering obstruction of the highway."

She added that parking on the pavement was not illegal, and the only possible action police could take would be for obstruction.

A spokesman for the Disability Rights Commission said: "It must have been very distressing for Mrs Symons and other people who are forced to walk in the road as it is putting lives in danger.

"It is up to local authorities to either enforce the parking if single or double yellow lines are being abused, or make sure there is suitable parking elsewhere so pedestrians and people using wheelchairs can use the pavement safely."

She said from December the new disability equality duty would mean local authorities have to plan ahead for the needs of disabled people when designing their services.