An Edinburgh woman has been left fuming after a van blocked off a pedestrian crossing, preventing her from getting her wheelchair onto the pavement.
Kayleigh O'Neill, 22, works as the caseworker for MSP Lorna Slater and is also a Scottish Greens candidate for Forth Ward in this year’s election.
The political candidate was out for some fresh air in between meetings at the Scottish Parliament when she was blocked off from the pathway on her route back to work.
Speaking to Edinburgh Live, Kayleigh said: "I work at the Scottish Parliament for Lorna Slater MSP.
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"I went out for some fresh air during lunch and on the way back I came down on the side of Canongate opposite the van.
"I had to stay on a steeper section of path instead of using this crossing for a safer journey back down to Holyrood.
"Luckily I was with a colleague who helped me confidently move down the hill and back to work, but if I was alone I would have been stuck.
"I should not have to rely on others to help me to move around independently just because a driver felt they were allowed to park wherever they wanted.
"But this is a much bigger issue than one driver and one white van, it is a daily experience for far too many people."
Kayleigh also highlighted the accessibility issues she faces across Edinburgh, that sometimes can put her in potential danger with road users.
She explained: "All across Edinburgh there is a lack of infrastructure for folks that want to walk, wheel or cycle.
"As a wheelchair user I come across pavement parking every single day, which can make moving around Edinburgh extremely difficult and unsafe.
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"If I can’t cross at a designated crossing, I often have to roll on main roads or into bus stops instead of using the pavement.
"Sometimes there are mere inches between myself and drivers speeding past and it shouldn’t be like this at all."
Kayleigh hopes that there will be changes in the infrastructure of accessible pathways for cyclists, wheelchair users, and other pedestrians.
She added: "There are current bans and rules, but they have far too many loopholes. It just continues the culture of drivers who feel they can do it, and that needs to change.
"More parking attendants on the streets and better awareness of the dangerous impact this has on disabled people would be a step in the right direction.
"No one should feel unsafe when moving around Edinburgh, or anywhere else."
The City of Edinburgh Council has been contacted for comment.
