Fire engines blocked by bad parking in Warwick district

Figures show that in the past two years, fire crews have been blocked by restricted access during 39 emergencies - sparking calls for drivers to think twice when they park along narrow or busy roads.

Warwick district’s streets have been named as one of the worst areas as Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service calls for drivers to ‘Park it Right and Save a Life’.

The campaign hopes to get drivers to think about the dangers they could be causing when they double park or obstruct tight corners.

Warwickshire fire officer, John Gregory said after incidents of engines being “severely delayed” in getting to house fires because of badly parked cars blocking the streets.

He said: “This is clearly unacceptable and I want people to understand that they have a responsibility to ensure that we can gain access on the street they park in.

“Crews have found that driving along certain roads across the county, particularly in Rugby, Nuneaton, Warwick and Stratford areas is becoming a hindrance to our jobs.

“Every second counts when someone needs our help and spending additional minutes trying to drive around other cars could ultimately have drastic consequences. It’s crucial to remember if the fire engine can’t pass through, we can’t get to you”.

Warwickshire County Councillor John Horner, said: “This is a very important message. People forget that whilst fire engines are more compact than they used to be, they are still quite wide, which means that they will struggle to drive down certain roads if people have not parked appropriately.

“Little actions like parking close to the curb and straightening your wheels can make a big difference”.

Roland Bayley, Rugby’s station commander said the worst streets have been leafleted in hope of bringing about change but “the only option left” is to ask people to change their parking habits.

He said: “We have leafleted the most congested streets in those areas most affected but this only has a small impact for a short period of time and is a very time consuming task.

“Just remember, we could be trying to get to your home or to your friends and family in an emergency, so please don’t stop us doing our very important job.”