AN EASTLEIGH mum is calling for action after cars parked on pavements have turned her disabled son’s journey to school into “a nightmare”.

Sara Bell, 34, who lives in Conduct Gardens, said her 10-year-old son Josh Carter, who uses a wheelchair, has the right to go out on his own and be independent.

But “too many” cars parked on the pavements do not make it possible.

The Cherbourg Primary School pupil suffers from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a genetic disorder which causes progressive muscle degeneration and weakness.

Sara said that there is no treatment for it and Josh’s condition will get worse.

Six weeks ago she bought him an electric wheelchair and Josh hoped to use it to go to school on his own.

But Sara said that due to inconsiderate parking it has not been possible yet.

She is now calling for action to be taken as soon as possible and is also asking highways authorities to create more crossing points along the route.

She said: “It’s become a nightmare.

"Cars are everywhere on the pavements, sometimes it would be easy just to cross the road but there are not enough crossing points for him to do that.

"This makes me angry and upset.

"Josh has the right to go out and play without having to worry about how he’s going to do it.”

She said that Josh has also been verbally abused by motorists.

She added: “They have to do something not to allow people to park on the pavements.

"It’s not just about Josh, it’s also about other people in the community.

"People have to think about the consequences of what they do.

"I am really upset about this situation and I want things to change as soon as possible.”

Sara said that Josh was diagnosed with the condition when he was two-years-old and he is waiting for researchers to find a treatment for it.

“At the moment he can stand up and push the wheelchair a little, but that's not going to be possible soon.

"When he had a manual wheelchair I could manoeuvre it myself but with the electric wheelchair I can’t do it, it’s too heavy”, she added.

The Daily Echo contacted both Eastleigh Borough Council and Hampshire County Council for a comment.

Neither had responded to requests when the paper went to press last night.