Pavement Parking

[Taf]

Pavement parking in the UK to become illegal (at last)

256. Parking on the pavement is likely to cause a grave danger to pedestrians. In particular, it creates hazards for people with disabilities and visual impairments, older people, and those with prams or pushchairs.[211] It is also unsightly and reduces the tight management of the streets which is a key to preserving a high quality street environment.

257. In London it is an offence to park on a pavement unless signs indicate that it is specifically permitted. Throughout the rest of the country there is no national law that bans parking by cars and small vehicles on the pavement.[212] A council wishing to ban pavement parking in a specific area can use Traffic Regulation Orders to this effect.

258. 'Living Streets' pointed out that vehicles parked on the pavements are a particular obstacle to achieving an accessible transport system:

We have got the Disability Discrimination Act in this country, which means that public transport is becoming more accessible, which means that buildings are becoming more accessible, but it is no good if the pavements themselves in between those two are not accessible and what we are finding is that it is not just people in wheelchairs, it is parents with buggies and people with shopping having to go into the road to get past parked cars and there is absolutely no reason for it.[213]

259. The Department for Transport recognises that pavement parking may cause damage to the kerb, the pavement, or the services underneath.[214] Repairing such damage can be costly and local authorities may face claims for compensation for injuries received resulting from damaged or defective pavements.

260. A ban on pavement parking would benefit many people, including people with disabilities, yet the Department has shied away from recommending enforcement because of the scale of the problem. Mr Mike Talbot of the Department for Transport told us that the Department had "looked at this from time to time and the problem has always been that if you define no parking on the footway or the verge in all other circumstances except where signed, it would not be enforced."[215]

261. We accept that the problem of vehicles obstructing footpaths country-wide is a large one and a major effort would be required to enforce the law. But the 'do- nothing' response of the Department is no longer a credible option. To periodically examine what is widely accepted as a problem and then fail to take any positive measures is not the quality of response that the general public has a right to expect from the Department. Those local authorities that have adopted civil enforcement powers would be required to enforce a ban on pavement parking as they carried out their other enforcement duties. The police too should be involved in enforcement of this aspect of street management. With clear signage and after a period of intense enforcement, we expect that a pavement parking ban would become self-enforcing as the public become familiar with, and accept, the new rules.

262. The Government must grip the problem of pavement parking once and for all and ensure that it is outlawed throughout the country, and not just in London. Councils should have the option of an 'opt-out' of a national pavement parking ban where this is vital, rather than relying on the use of individual Traffic Regulation Orders on specific streets and local Acts to impose a ban. That such an initiative will initially require additional resources to enforce is no excuse for allowing some pavements to continue to be swamped by cars and made inaccessible to large numbers of pedestrians.

https://publications.parliament.uk/….../748/74815.htm

Now all it needs is a change to The Transport Management Act 2004

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by Taf

Pavement parking in the UK to become illegal (at last)

256. Parking on the pavement is likely to cause a grave danger to pedestrians. In particular, it creates hazards for people with disabilities and visual impairments, older people, and those with prams or pushchairs.[211] It is also unsightly and reduces the tight management of the streets which is a key to preserving a high quality street environment.

257. In London it is an offence to park on a pavement unless signs indicate that it is specifically permitted. Throughout the rest of the country there is no national law that bans parking by cars and small vehicles on the pavement.[212] A council wishing to ban pavement parking in a specific area can use Traffic Regulation Orders to this effect.

258. 'Living Streets' pointed out that vehicles parked on the pavements are a particular obstacle to achieving an accessible transport system:

We have got the Disability Discrimination Act in this country, which means that public transport is becoming more accessible, which means that buildings are becoming more accessible, but it is no good if the pavements themselves in between those two are not accessible and what we are finding is that it is not just people in wheelchairs, it is parents with buggies and people with shopping having to go into the road to get past parked cars and there is absolutely no reason for it.[213]

259. The Department for Transport recognises that pavement parking may cause damage to the kerb, the pavement, or the services underneath.[214] Repairing such damage can be costly and local authorities may face claims for compensation for injuries received resulting from damaged or defective pavements.

260. A ban on pavement parking would benefit many people, including people with disabilities, yet the Department has shied away from recommending enforcement because of the scale of the problem. Mr Mike Talbot of the Department for Transport told us that the Department had "looked at this from time to time and the problem has always been that if you define no parking on the footway or the verge in all other circumstances except where signed, it would not be enforced."[215]

261. We accept that the problem of vehicles obstructing footpaths country-wide is a large one and a major effort would be required to enforce the law. But the 'do- nothing' response of the Department is no longer a credible option. To periodically examine what is widely accepted as a problem and then fail to take any positive measures is not the quality of response that the general public has a right to expect from the Department. Those local authorities that have adopted civil enforcement powers would be required to enforce a ban on pavement parking as they carried out their other enforcement duties. The police too should be involved in enforcement of this aspect of street management. With clear signage and after a period of intense enforcement, we expect that a pavement parking ban would become self-enforcing as the public become familiar with, and accept, the new rules.

262. The Government must grip the problem of pavement parking once and for all and ensure that it is outlawed throughout the country, and not just in London. Councils should have the option of an 'opt-out' of a national pavement parking ban where this is vital, rather than relying on the use of individual Traffic Regulation Orders on specific streets and local Acts to impose a ban. That such an initiative will initially require additional resources to enforce is no excuse for allowing some pavements to continue to be swamped by cars and made inaccessible to large numbers of pedestrians.

https://publications.parliament.uk/….../748/74815.htm

Now all it needs is a change to The Transport Management Act 2004

The link doesn't work, Taf.

However, I would say that this is welcome news!

[denphone]

l am all for it but enforcing it fully will be the problem l suspect.

[Mr K]

Good news, those with their 4x4 monster trucks that just do the school run won't be happy.

Incredibly stupid idea, it will block an massive number of roads.

Originally Posted by Paul

Incredibly stupid idea, it will block an massive number of roads.

Sorry Paul I can't agree.. there are idiots in my road who always park so that NO ONE can get by on the pavement..and this road is by an Infants and Junior school. They also block the accessibility drop down kerbs and this means that the numerous handicapped citizens have to put them selves out to gain access across the road with their mobility aids and mobility scooters just so they can use the opposite pavement.Motorists can't be king of the roads AND the pavements.

Originally Posted by Paul

Incredibly stupid idea, it will block an massive number of roads.

Agree with this totally.

Most UK roads are just not wide enough for cars to park directly on the road. So if this is law is going to be enforced everywhere, then roads will become more blocked, they will be adding to the problems, not solving any.

Originally Posted by Mick

Agree with this totally.

Most UK roads are just not wide enough for cars to park directly on the road. So if this is law is going to be enforced everywhere, then roads will become more blocked, they will be adding to the problems, not solving any.

How about seeing it from the viewpoint those who use the pavements as pedestrians? Of course if the handicapped take their walking aids and mobility scooters on the road that won't please the motorists..

Originally Posted by Maggy

How about seeing it from the viewpoint those who use the pavements as pedestrians? Of course if the handicapped take their walking aids and mobility scooters on the road that won't please the motorists..

I use pavements too!

It's not a massive issue to make an abrupt change that can actually be made to have more dire consequences than it actually solves.

People forced to park directly on the road means less space for two lanes of traffic so, congestion builds and people die in ambulances because they cannot get to the hospitals swiftly.

---------- Post added at 15:44 ---------- Previous post was at 15:24 ----------

Originally Posted by Maggy

Motorists can't be king of the roads AND the pavements.

Then this where the current law should apply, they are causing an obstruction and should be dealt with accordingly, I don't think Paul and I am not either, advocating a "sod all else" and ownership of the pavements, there are many UK roads that are just not wide enough to allow adequate free flow of traffic, if people are forced to fully park on the roads it will cause massive issues.

[Mythica]

There is an area near me that the council have painted on spaces for cars which is half on the road half on the pavement. This road is a bus route. What happens there?

[Mr K]

It would help in a lot of ways if we limited it to one car per household. The multi car households are the main problem, along with cars getting stupidly big.

[Pierre]

I agree with it in principle.

As long as common sense is applied ( which is probably where it’ll all fall down )

[denphone]

Originally Posted by Mr K

It would help in a lot of ways if we limited it to one car per household. The multi car households are the main problem, along with cars getting stupidly big.

Perhaps if we had a more integrated efficient public transport system there would be less cars on the road and that would benefit us all.

[Mr K]

Originally Posted by denphone

Perhaps if we had a more integrated efficient public transport system there would be less cars on the road and that would benefit us all.

Good thinking Den ! Wonder why our politicians have never thought of that....

Originally Posted by denphone

Perhaps if we had a more integrated efficient public transport system there would be less cars on the road and that would benefit us all.

Not really - They could make the best improvements all they like - I would not dump my car for public transport, nothing beats my own personal space when I am travelling.