A disabled women found herself stuck outside her own home for more than an hour – because a student parked in front of her driveway.
Gail Roberts, who lives near both the Kedleston Road and Markeaton Street campuses of the University of Derby, was left infuriated by the incident, which she said had left her hovering between rage and tears.
Although the street in which Ms Roberts, who has multiple sclerosis, lives, is access only, and is signposted as such, it is regularly used during term time by students who part their cars there, because it has no yellow lines.
As a result, Mrs Roberts says problems getting into or out of her driveway are now a weekly occurrence.
In the latest example, she returned from church and found herself blocked once again, with the student returning an hour later.
Mrs Roberts told Derbyshire Live: “I’m bordering between exploding and bursting into tears. It’s very unfair.
“The students are contravening regulations by parking here. It’s just ridiculous.
“This year it’s just worse than ever. No-one seems interested in helping. What do I do?”
Many houses on the Queensway service road strip are boarded up after owners signed up for a compulsory purchase scheme as part of plans to redesign the busy A38.
However Mrs Roberts and her husband still live in their house, where they have lived for 12 years.
She said problems have been exacerbated since the other houses were sold off.
Earlier this week, her carer and mother both had to turn around and drive away because they were unable to find anywhere to park nearby.
The latest incident was the second one in four days. Mrs Roberts had left the house at 9.30am and when she returned at 11am, a white Audi was parked right in the way of her drive.
On a previous occasion when a car was parked in the same spot, she had managed to drive onto the grass verge and around to get into the driveway but this time it was impossible.
In protest, she parked behind the other car and blocked the road, leading to an argument with a student, who ended up having to drive on the grass verge by the A38 himself to get past.
Ms Roberts has contacted the police, the council and Highways England to ask for a solution to the problem.
She feared not being able to get into her house would lead to her missing a physiotherapy appointment at hospital – although fortunately the student who owned the car turned up at about 12.15pm.
The student apologised and said she had not seen the access-only sign, had believed the houses were empty and had been recommended the spot as a place to park by a friend.
The car was moved and Mrs Roberts drove back in after waiting for more than an hour. But the problem will not stop until those parking are punished, she believes.
She said: “I’ve not complained before but it’s getting to the point now where it may impinge on my health. These cars need to be ticketed and the students need to be told that this isn’t acceptable.”
