IT could be the end of the road for motorists who park on pavements in Bolton — making life a misery for residents in wheelchairs and on mobility scooters.

Disabled residents — as well as parents with prams — have complained to Bolton Council that they cannot get past when cars are parked blocking half the pavement.

Parking on pavements is illegal, but in many of the borough’s narrow residential streets, motorists say they have no option but to park on the pavements to allow traffic to get past.

Council chiefs said they recognised it was an issue that needed addressing and have now launched the review to see what can be done.

Peter Molyneux, Bolton Council’s assistant director of environmental services for highways, will be leading the review.

A council spokesman said: “We recognise that there is an issue we need to look at with regards to parking on pavements, and we will be reviewing current policies, practices and procedures.

“As part of this process, we will be consulting with a range of road users to ensure that we capture everyone’s views. We hope to report back with our recommendations in around six months time.”

Complaints came to a head this week at a Bromley Cross area forum when a number of residents raised the issue with the council’s forum officer, Stephen Young.

Resident Bill Harrison told the meeting: “My wife is severely disabled and uses a power wheelchair.

“When she is at the cross roads of The Crescent and Rose Hill Drive on her own, she cannot cross because of cars parked illegally.

“It is disgraceful how some people park.”

Last night, Bolton Active Disability Group for Everyone (BADGE) said motorists obstructing pavements was a problem not only for its wheelchair-using members, but also for blind members.

A spokesman said: “One of our members who is blind says that when he is walking on the pavements, there needs to be enough room for him and his guide dog.

“The dogs are trained to walk side-by-side and will not walk in a single file formation. If they are blocked by a vehicle then the dog either has to take the user into the road and walk around the car, or even cross the road and walk down the other side of the street.”

But drivers say there is often nowhere to park in busy residential streets.

Karl Exton, of Horwich, said: “There is often nowhere else to park outside our house so you are forced to use the pavement. Everyone else seems to do it so you just follow suit.”

An AA spokesman said: “A lot of motorists do not realise that it is illegal to park on the pavement, but we would urge drivers to put themselves in the position of the wheelchair users and those with guide dogs.”

He added: “It would be easy for the council to go in and issue fines but the best approach, in the first instance, would be to point out the selfishness of the motorists.”