Firefighters have raised concerns over inconsiderate parking in street in Malmesbury.
The local fire station took to social media to raise awareness of the regular, life-threatening, issue faced by not just fire crews, but ambulance crews and police too.
Posting on Malmesbury Fire Station’s Twitter, an off-duty firefighter posted a photo of a Nissan Qashqai and Volkswagen Polo blocking a residential road – even a car couldn’t pass.
The post read: “Please think about where you park even if only for a short time. No idea which car parked here first but one of them left no access for a car let alone and emergency vehicle.”
The fire service says delays could have life-threatening consequences.
A spokesperson for Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “In an emergency, every second that the emergency services are delayed could have serious, life threatening consequences. We are asking drivers to think when they are parking and ask themselves the question: ‘Are we getting through?’.
“Our smallest appliance needs a minimum of 3m, or the width of two cars, to pass safely. If you called for help, you would want to know we’re getting through.
“Poor or inconsiderate parking, even if only for a few minutes, can delay us during an emergency call and, in the case of a rapidly developing fire, every second counts.”
