PEDESTRIANS need protection on painted paths – and a change in the law would give it to them. Castel senior constable Bev Holliday has written to Home minister Mike Torode asking for it to be made illegal for motorists to park on the walkways.

Mrs Holliday made the representation after the douzaine received complaints from parishioners about parking on the section of roadway reserved for pedestrians at Les Beaucamps.

Police are powerless to act because, while it is illegal to park on pavements, the law does not cover the painted lines.

Steps chairwoman Ann Robilliard criticised the thoughtless motorists and said that while extra regulation was the last resort, it might prove necessary.

Deputy Torode said that he would look at the issue, but it was not a top priority.

‘Our concern is that cars are parking over the walkway at Les Beaucamps that was put there for pedestrians, particularly the children.

‘The cars are actually making it worse because they force the children into the middle of the road,’ said dean of the Castel douzaine Hirzel Dorey.

‘Parishioners complained to the police but were told that while it is illegal to park on pavements, it is not illegal to park on a walkway.

‘We put the walkway there to clear a space for pedestrians; we could have put a yellow line to stop cars parking but we wanted to allow a walkway to improve safety.’

Mrs Robilliard condemned the actions of some motorists.

‘It might not be illegal but it shows a level of thoughtlessness. Pedestrian lines are put there to give some safety to pedestrians,’ she said.

‘People parking on them force pedestrians into the road and at Les Beaucamps there is a busy road with a lot of traffic.

It is particularly thoughtless given the number of young people in the area.

‘I would not necessarily back more laws because they then need policing, but if there continues to be thoughtless behaviour that puts lives at risk, then ultimately a change in the law might be the only recourse.’

Mr Dorey said that it was disappointing that a similar scheme could work well at Cobo but not at Les Beaucamps.

He added that notices had been put on the offending vehicles but these had not seemed to make any difference.

Mrs Holliday has now written to Deputy Torode asking for a change in the law to give either the police or the douzaine the necessary powers.

Deputy Torode said that the idea of the lines was to give pedestrians added protection and it was a particularly good idea so close to a school.

He said that legislation did not define the walkways as a pavement and therefore no offence was being committed.

Motorists parking over them could, though, be reported for other offences such as driving without due consideration but that would depend on the individual circumstances.

Deputy Torode said that while he would look at the issue, the department had a very heavy workload at the moment.