South Yorkshire transport chiefs hit out over 'problem parkers' causing disruption to services

Bus company bosses said a number of services have had to be diverted away from their usual routes in recent months because of dodgy drivers blocking access down certain roads by failing to park properly.

In November, bus firm First said the 81 Stannington service was unable to call at stops on the Acorn Estate due to bad parking.

And just before Christmas the 8A Crystal Peaks to Ecclesfield bus was unable to serve Moorthorpe Way or Moorthorpe Gate in Owlthorpe due to 'badly parked cars'.

In addition, Firefighters from Rivelin Station were unable to get access to a fire at a care home due to cars blocking access in Roebuck Road, Crookesmoor, in February, prompting the brigade to urge motorists to improve their parking.

Bus companies do not keep a record of incidents so the problem is difficult to quantify.

However, the Sheffield Bus Partnership, which comprises of the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, Sheffield Council and private bus companies, felt strongly enough about the issue to send out an appeal for drivers to be more considerate.

On behalf of the partnership, Ben Gilligan, director of public transport at SYPTE, said: "Inconsiderate parking can cause significant delays to services across Sheffield, and significant inconvenience to the thousands of customers each day who travel by bus.

"SYPTE, Sheffield Council and the bus operators are committed to working together and with South Yorkshire Police to move vehicles as soon as possible when issues occur to ensure minimal disruption to customer journeys.”