Mother slams selfish drivers

NIGHTMARE journey . . . Lisa Humphries has to walk in the road with her wheelchair-bound sons Charlie (left) and Jack as inconsiderate motorists block the pavement

Brothers forced into road on nightmare school run

THE mother of two wheelchair-bound youngsters has hit out at selfish motorists who make journeys to school almost impossible.

Lisa Humphries, of The Gabriels, High Crompton, faces a nightmare walk to and from St Mary’s Primary School, in Rushcroft Road, with her sons, Jack (six) and Charlie (three), because of parked cars blocking dropped kerbs on pavements.

The boys have suffered from spinal muscular atrophy since birth and are confined to their electric wheelchairs.

Lisa (39) said: “Some days are an absolute nightmare and we are constantly having to go into the road.

“This involves going back to the nearest dropped kerb, going into the road and then finding the next dropped kerb to get back on to the pavement.

“This puts the boys in extreme danger as we are making our journeys at the busiest time every morning and afternoon.

“Oldham Council kindly put dropped kerbs in our street and on the main road near Crompton House School, which helps a lot. But some people park over these areas which means they are blocking the pavement and also preventing the boys from being able to get their chairs on and off the road.

“The chairs weigh around 13st each so they can’t be lifted off a kerb of normal height.”

Lisa and her husband, sales rep David, are currently saving up for a specialised van which will be able to hold two wheelchairs, but in the meantime the family face daily difficulties.

She added: “I am not asking for much, just for people to realise that pavements are for people, not cars, and the dropped kerbs are there to help blind and disabled people and wheelchair users access the road more easily.

“The electric wheelchairs have given the boys a lot of independence but this can be taken away when we go out because I have to watch them constantly as it is not safe for them to be on the road.

“Life is difficult enough for blind and wheelchair users like my sons and these thoughtless motorists make it even worse.

“I am constantly having to ask people to move their cars and most are okay, but I do get regular verbal abuse which is not nice for the boys.

“All we want is for motorists to be more aware of people trying to use the pavements and not to block the lowered kerbs.”