INCONSIDERATE motorists are making it near impossible for youngsters in wheelchairs to use pavements around Helen House, the world famous children's hospice.

Sister Frances Dominica, pictured, the founder of Helen House, described the parking situation around the hospice as "crazy and chaotic". And she feared the lack of space being left on the surrounding pavements was creating "a dangerous situation".

Her mounting concerns have led Sister Frances to join residents protesting about parking in East Oxford. Sister Frances said it was proving "virtually impossible" for children from both Helen House and seriously ill young people at the neighbouring Douglas House to travel any distance on pavements.

She said: "I have lived in Oxford since 1974 and I have never known it as bad as these last months. Young people who come to Helen House and to Douglas House are mostly in wheelchairs, and if they want to go out, it's virtually impossible for them to go very far, without having to get off the pavement. Because cars are parked so close to the wall, there isn't room for them to get through."

Residents have been angered by Oxfordshire County Council's plan to introduce a parking zone in a small area around Divinity Road. They want to see it extended to the other side of Cowley Road, including Magdalen Road, and they are now sensing victory.

Sister Frances said: "I can understand the residents of Divinity Road wanting controlled parking. My fear is that if that happens independently from our side of Cowley Road, the situation, if it's possible to become worse, will become worse."

Eka Morgan, of St Mary's Road Residents' Association, said: "The parking congestion problem in East Oxford, has reached crisis point.

"The current problems are dangerous parking on corners, with prams and wheelchairs not being able to get past.

"We are happy for the Divinity area to get residents' parking, but only if it happens simultaneously with our streets. County Hall's own feasibility study shows that there is almost 100 per cent more commuter parking going on in the Magdalen area than in the Divinity Road area."

The issue is expected to be discussed by the county council cabinet on Tuesday. And campaigners have been given real hope of success by county transport planner Joy White.

She wrote to them: "It appears that we are only short of an estimated £30,000 in 2008/9 to enable consultation on both the Divinity Road and Magdalen Road controlled parking zones to proceed. We are confident that the money can be made available.

"This level of resourcing should enable us to implement both zones simultaneously within two years, subject to consultation with residents."