Oadby residents are growing increasingly frustrated with vehicles parked on pavements, blocking zebra crossings and disrupting daily life, prompting calls for urgent action. Daily scenes of vehicles abandoned on pavements, holding up buses and endangering pedestrians have sparked widespread concern, particularly among parents, shopkeepers, and people with mobility issues.

Blocking Crossings and Endangering Pedestrians

Locals who live and work around The Parade told LeicestershireLive the situation has deteriorated rapidly, with a mix of expensive parking and a lack of spaces creating a daily headache. For businesses on the street, the primary concern is pedestrian safety, particularly for young children.

Bawan H, 30, who works at a hardware store right next door to a nursery and zebra crossing, said drivers are regularly abandoning their cars on the pavement and on the crossing itself. He said the most dangerous moments come during the school run, when visibility at the crossing is at its worst.

“We do have some real issues with parking outside the shop,” Bawan said. “We are right next door to a nursery and zebra crossing and people will park right on the pavement outside the nursery and on the crossing. It’s just not safe, as it’s hard for people to see the crossing. Especially at 3pm.”

Residents Avoiding the Area, Long-Term Residents Affected

The sheer volume of badly parked vehicles is now driving long-term residents away from the high street entirely. Gary, 50, who has lived in Oadby for 20 years, said he has changed his daily routine to avoid the chaos, pointing to the nearby three-hour car park as a major flashpoint.

“You’ll see people pull on the street as they nip into the shop daily around here,” he said. “The buses also struggle to get past. It’s that bad I don’t come down here anymore.”

For residents with mobility issues, the blocked pavements are more than just a nuisance. One group of shoppers said the issue is part of a wider problem, telling LeicestershireLive: “I wouldn’t say it’s just an Oadby problem, it’s all over Leicester too. My brother is disabled so we have a disabled badge and people will park anywhere. We’ve stopped confronting people about it as we get abuse.”

An elderly woman using a walking frame added: “It’s such a busy road, they drive ever so fast down here. Parking is too expensive so I think that’s what leads to it.”

Not everyone agreed, with one shopper saying: “It’s not that bad but there’s just not enough spaces so that’s what leads to it. They should sort that out.”

Local MP Calls for Bollards to Restore Order

Local MP Neil O’Brien said people are parking all over the pavement. He described the situation as a “real menace” and a “nuisance for anybody who has got reduced mobility or who can’t see,” adding that it’s “just very unsightly apart from anything else.”

“I am calling on the council to try and put some bollards in so we can get back to a bit more orderly parking, as it’s turning into the wild west at the end of the parade,” Mr O’Brien said.

There are three public car parks serving the area. East Street Car Park has 180 bays, Sandhurst Street Car Park has 192 bays, and Ellis Park Car Park has 39 bays, giving a combined total of 411 spaces in the town.

The situation highlights a broader issue of urban parking management, with residents and officials alike demanding solutions to ease congestion and improve safety. With no immediate resolution in sight, the call for action grows louder by the day.