Councils have called on the Government to ban pavement parking across the whole of England – not just London – and punish motorists who block footpaths, especially for vulnerable and disabled people.
The Local Government Association (LGA) says more powers need to be given to local authorities to enforce parking to make our streets safer and ‘tackle the scourge’ of drivers who prevent access for those in mobility scooters, wheelchairs and children in buggies.
The demand for enforcement powers comes more than three years after the Department for Transport wrapped up a consultation into pavement parking, which has seen no action taken as a result.
Parking problems: Councils want pavement parking banned across England to prevent drivers blocking footpath access for the most vulnerable people, including those in wheelchairs
Often, when motorists park partially – and sometimes fully – on the pavement, it is due to how narrow a road is.
By putting at least two wheels on the footpath, drivers provide more room for other motorists to pass through tight spaces, reducing the likelihood of vehicle-to-vehicle damage as well as traffic delays.
However, this often has a detrimental impact for pedestrians – especially those with mobility issues.
The LGA says older and disabled people, as well as parents with pushchairs and younger children, are regularly forced to navigate around vehicles which are mounted on the kerb or across the footway.
By doing so, it puts these pedestrians at greater risk when stepping into the road and oncoming traffic.
The association says this presents arguably the greatest hazard to blind and partially sighted people.
Often, when motorists park partially on the pavement, it is due to how narrow a road is. By putting at least two wheels on the footpath, this provides more room for other vehicles to pass through tight spaces. However, this is often to the detriment of pedestrians
The LGA says older and disabled people, as well as parents with pushchairs and younger children, are regularly forced to navigate around vehicles which are mounted on the kerb or across the footway
Pavement parking presents arguably the greatest hazard to blind and partially sighted people
Yet, there is a secondary impact resulting from heavy vehicles parking on footpaths that are not designed to take such loads.
It can cause pavements to crack and damage the surface, which in turn creates trip and injury hazards for pedestrians.
The LGA says it also triggers costly repairs and maintenance that comes out of their ever-tightening budgets.
Pavement parking is currently only banned in London, where councils have powers to exempt certain roads.
Following call from various groups, in 2020, the Government launched a consultation to look into extending the ban to across the whole of England.
However, an announcement has yet to be made regarding the findings and what changes could be made to legislation to help councils crackdown on pavement parking.
In the meantime, Scotland has this year introduced a nationwide parking ban.
Local authorities as of January 2024 can now dish out fines of £100 if they identify drivers parking on pavements and blocking the footway for pedestrians. The fine amount is reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days.
A consultation is also set to take place in Wales on introducing restrictions on pavement parking.
The call for pavement parking to be outlawed across England comes weeks after green transport campaigners warned that new models are getting wider on average by 1cm every two years – and many cars are now too wide for on-street parking bays.
Transport & Environment blamed the rise of ‘mega SUVs’ for taking up more of our streets, bulging out of parking spaces and ‘bullying cyclists off the road’.
In 2020, the DfT launched a consultation on extending the ban on pavement parking across England. However, an announcement has yet to be made regarding the findings
London is the only location in England where it is illegal to parking on the pavement – even if it’s just one or two wheels up the kerb. Scotland has rolled out a ban this year
The LGA says there is a secondary issue with pavement parking: as well as blocking access for vulnerable pedestrians, it can also cause damage to footways that they are then responsible to repair if they threaten to cause injury
The LGA, which represents councils in England and Wales, said a change in the rules is ‘now long overdue’.
It says more enforcement powers will help councils meet national targets to encourage more walking and cycling, while protecting older and vulnerable people from injury.
Cllr Darren Rodwell, transport spokesperson for the LGA, added: ‘Pavement parking is one of the biggest complaints from pedestrians, but three years on, councils outside of London still do not have the powers they need to tackle this scourge.
‘Vulnerable and disabled people, including wheelchair users as well as parents with pushchairs are forced into the road due to some drivers’ inconsiderate parking, presenting a real hazard and potential danger to life.
‘Repairing kerbs and pavements damaged by pavement parking is also expensive and this funding could be better used to resurface our roads and pavements, support local buses and provide more suitable parking.
‘If we are to meet the Government’s ambition for half of all trips in England’s towns and cities to be walked, wheeled or cycled by 2030, then it makes sense to give councils across the country the same powers as in the capital, making our streets safer and footpaths open for everyone.’
This is Money contacted the Department for Transport for response.
A DfT spokesperson told us: ‘Everyone should be able to navigate their streets without obstacles, and while local authorities already have powers to prohibit pavement parking through local regulation, we have consulted on further helping them take action.
‘The response to this will be published in due course.’
The DfT added that councils do already have some powers to tackle parking on the pavement.
Through Traffic Regulation Orders using powers in the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and the Greater London Council (General Powers) Act, councils can issue Penalty Charge Notices (‘parking tickets’) to offending vehicles and have the power to remove vehicles that are illegally parked, the spokesperson pointed out.
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