VIDEO: Firefighters launch campaign to curb inappropriate parking

Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service have launched the Mind the Gap campaign across the county to get people to think about their parking by highlighting the dangerous consequences inappropriate parking can have.

The Journal joined Green Watch at Salisbury Fire Station to see firsthand the problems crews face when trying to negotiate narrow roads with double parked vehicles and vehicles parked on the corners of junctions, which can cost vital time when trying to reach an emergency.

Salisbury Fire Station manager Dan Cooke said: “We are not telling people off, we are trying to ask them to be considerate. We are trying to engage with people and want them to help us. Vehicles could be blocking an emergency response, it might be you or your friends, and could be a life at risk.

“We are trying to encourage people to be responsible and make an effort and do their best with this. It can make an enormous difference.”

Crews say they experience the most problems with parking during the evenings and there have been times when wing mirrors on vehicles have been damaged in order to get to an emergency. A fire engine needs clearance of 10ft to pass safely.

Dan added: “The consequences are it can delay life saving responses, that is the main one, possibly damage vehicles and you have also got an increase in hazards to children and pedestrians crossing [the road].”

Green Watch manager Paul Clement said double parked vehicles can make it “incredible difficult” for drivers to get fire engines through and it is a “multi-agency issue” not just affecting the fire service but also ambulances.

Fire crews will be carrying out leaflet drops in areas where problems are frequently reported.

Drivers parking on the roadside are reminded to:

- park tightly to the kerb and observe double yellow lines

- leave enough space for a fire engine or ambulance to pass

- leave extra room near tight corners and never park right on a junction

- fold in wing mirrors.