Pavement parking ban to affect millions of drivers

The government is considering a blanket ban on pavement parking, bringing the rest of the country in line with current London legislation

pavement parking

Motorists could be banned from parking on pavements, as the Department of Transport (DfT) considers changing the law.

Parking on the pavement has been illegal in London since 1974, but the government is likely to introduce a blanket ban across England and Wales, with ministers in Scotland contemplating a similar move.

The law has confused motorists for many years and, to be fair, the Highway Code isn’t wholly conclusive on the matter. Note the wording from Rule 244, which states:

‘You MUST NOT park partially or wholly on the pavement in London, and should not do so elsewhere unless signs permit it. Parking on the pavement can obstruct and seriously inconvenience pedestrians, people in wheelchairs or with visual impairments and people with prams or pushchairs.’

The emphasis here is on the ‘MUST NOT’ and the ‘should not’. One is a direct order and there is legislation to back it up, while the other is more of a statement of advice. However, Rule 242 states:

‘You MUST NOT leave your vehicle or trailer in a dangerous position or where it causes any unnecessary obstruction of the road.’

If the police deem your vehicle to be causing an obstruction, you could be accused of committing an offence. According to the Ask The Police website, ‘parking a vehicle on the pavement could lead to an offence of obstruction being committed. This could result in a fixed penalty notice being issued to offending vehicles. This is because parking on the pavement can obstruct pedestrians and wheelchair users forcing them to use the road to pass a parked vehicle.’

‘Parking splits opinion’

Anecdotal evidence would suggest that many motorists are either unaware or confused by the legislation, which is backed up by research conducted by YourParkingSpace.co.uk. In a survey, it found that one in 10 drivers park on the pavement on a daily basis, a figure which, it claims, equates to around three million cars.

Meanwhile, approximately half of the drivers surveyed would welcome a fine for anyone caught parking on the pavement, despite there being no current legislation to support this move.

Harrison Woods, managing director at YourParkingSpace, said: “Parking splits opinion, none more so than the issue of parking on pavements.

“In many parts of the UK it is still allowed but this could soon change as the government reviews the issue. The outcome could affect the parking habits of millions.

“Our advice, where pavement parking is currently allowed, is to always make sure there’s plenty of room for pedestrians to get past and to be aware of people with a pushchair, with a visual impairment or in a wheelchair.”

‘Use common sense’

Ann Widdecombe

Earlier this year, transport minister Jesse Norman told the BBC: “We know that parking on the pavement can cause serious problems for some pedestrians. The Department for Transport is gathering evidence on pavement parking and the effectiveness of current regulations.

“As part of this work, we are considering alternative methods to tackle inappropriate pavement parking. This review is now underway and will conclude later this year.”

In a blog post, the RAC had the following advice for motorists: ‘Outside of London, we advise people to use common sense when faced with no other option but to park on the pavement.

‘If you are parking along a narrow road, where parking wholly on the road would stop other cars, and particularly emergency vehicles, from getting through, then it is a sensible option to park partially on a pavement, providing there are no parking restrictions and providing you are not blocking a wheelchair user or pram from using the pavement.

‘If there are restrictions, or your parking would cause wheelchair users or people with prams to have to walk into the road, then you should find somewhere else to park.’

Click here for the Highway Code’s waiting and parking regulations.

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Gavin Braithwaite-Smith
Gavin Braithwaite-Smithhttp://www.petrolblog.com
Writer with a penchant for #FrenchTat. Owns 15 vehicles of varying degrees of terribleness. Also doing a passable impression of Cousin Eddie in an Italian-German beige motorhome. Doesn't get out much.

6 COMMENTS

  1. I have to park partly on the pavement because where I live it is too dangerous to park fully on the road . ‘Drivers’ come flying down the road in a 20 limit, and last year I had my car written off by an idiot in a BMW who was going to fast. Where I park does not inconvenience anyone as there is plenty of room for pushchairs and wheelchair users. I do not enjoy parking at an angle but I do not want my car damaged again.

  2. I have to park partly on the pavement because where I live it is too dangerous to park fully on the road . ‘Drivers’ come flying down the road in a 20 limit, and last year I had my car written off by an idiot in a BMW who was going to fast. Where I park does not inconvenience anyone as there is plenty of room for pushchairs and wheelchair users. I do not enjoy parking at an angle but I do not want my car damaged again.

  3. I often see cars and vans parked so far on the payment that only the road side wheels are next to the kerb and there is no room for pedestrians let alone mums with prams, wheelchair users, etc. Such parking damages the pavement and possibly the utilities (gas, water, electricity, telephone, sewerage) which often run just below the pavement surface. Who has to pay for these repairs? Council tax payers, users of the utilities, in other words everyone and then there are moans about the condition of the pavements. For once, the Scottish government has got it right so what are the useless uncivil bureaucrats doing other than nothing (as usual).

  4. I see inconsiderate parking every day parking fully on the foot paths double lines, Zig zags, parking facing the wrong way.
    This seems to have happened in the last few years.
    I just think these people are selfish, they are aware of the law and they know that they can get away with it.
    Don’t these people even think of wheel chairs ,prams or visually impaired.
    A lot of these people that park on the pavements have drives its because of having more than one vehicle and don’t want to move cars around.
    I cant see why parking is any different in London than the rest of the country.
    If this Total ban comes in who will police it nothing seems to be done at the moment they just drive by and take no notice.

  5. I drive quite a lot around towns and villages and come across far too many streets where the road is too narrow for cars to park on both sides of the road .

    Surely it would be easy to place double yellow lines down one side of the narrow streets .

    This would enable cars to park on the road, at the same time make it easier for cars passing through to pass safely.

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