A new charter says some are “forced to walk in the road” because of obstacles left on pavements.
Wide drone panorama of Leeds city centre. Picture by Getty Images
City leaders have backed plans to make Leeds streets more accessible for people with disabilities after it emerged some are “forced to walk in the road” because of obstacles left on pavements.
The Leeds Street Charter, backed by disability charities, targets problems including wheelie bins, pavement parking, A-boards, inaccessible crossings and damaged pavements.
Leeds City Council deputy leader Jonathan Pryor said the charter would provide “a clear, shared understanding” of the barriers affecting streets across the city. But a senior opposition councillor claimed the authority had not put aside any money to actually tackle the problem.
Introducing the document at a meeting, Cllr Pryor said: “Some of the commitments under consideration as part of this report are bins blocking pavements, parking on pavements, advertising boards, street and cafe furniture, inaccessible and faulty crossings and defective footways.”
Read more: Leeds City Council local elections 2026 candidates for each ward- full list
The charter was developed with groups including RNIB, Guide Dogs and Living Streets following a deputation to the council by campaigners from Pavements Are For People.
The council said it would continue to work with disability groups over the next 12 months through its Disability Hub and would “re-engage with the organisations and individuals” involved in producing the charter.
The charter says disabled people can be “forced to walk in the road” because of obstacles left on pavements. One contributor said: “The bins are so grouped together I can’t get past and have to walk on the road.”
Another said: “Sometimes people park completely on the pavement and block it totally and I have to walk in the road.”
The council said it would continue to enforce its ban on advertising boards in the city centre, work with West Yorkshire Police on pavement parking and improve the way residents can report blocked pavements and crossings. It also said staff would be trained to consider accessibility when designing and maintaining streets, with the charter intended to make accessibility “business as usual” across council services.
Opposition leader and Conservative councillor Alan Lamb welcomed the charter, but questioned whether enough money had been set aside to deliver it. He said: “We’re recognising that there is a problem… but there isn’t actually a clear plan or any resource to do anything about it.”
The charter was approved by the council’s Executive Board, including leader James Lewis, on Wednesday April 22.
Get all the latest and breaking news in Leeds by signing up to our newsletter here.
