MPs call for nationwide ban on pavement parking

Published 09 September 2019

MPs are calling on the Government to introduce a nationwide ban on pavement parking.

A general ban on pavement parking in London was introduced in the 1970s, but the transport committee has called on the Government to ban "anti-social parking" in the rest of England because of the detrimental impact it has on the lives of millions of vulnerable people. Scotland is already considering similar legislation that could become law in 2020.

The transport committee heard evidence from witnesses who claim anti-social parking increases the risk of social isolation, with cars (parking over dropped kerbs) restricting the ability of people using wheelchairs and mobility scooters to leave their homes. MPs were also warned of the increased dangers for children.

Emily Steadman, a member of the public, who faces pavement parking issues outside her children’s school, told MPs: "Cars driving on and off the pavement create a hazard for small children who can’t easily be seen from the wheel of a car. I have had a number of terrifying occasions where my children have very nearly been hit by a car coming on or off the pavement as they’ve run along."

Parked On Kerb 2

The transport committee wants "robust enforcement" by creating a new civil offence that will give local authorities the power to issue fines to drivers who are guilty of parking in an anti-social manner.

However, MPs recognised the need for some exemptions to the ban and has called on the Government to launch a public consultation to understand the needs of local businesses. MPs also want the Government to launch a national awareness campaign to educate drivers on the "negative impacts" of pavement parking and the affect it has on the vulnerable.

Local Government Association Transport spokesman, Cllr David Renard, said: “Pavement parking and damaged pavements is one of the biggest complaints from pedestrians…repairing kerbs and pavements damaged by pavement parking is expensive and this funding could be better used to repair potholes and provide more suitable parking.

“We urge Government to bring forward legislation to ban pavement parking, with councils able to create exemptions if they want to, and steps to facilitate a transition to a new law, at the earliest opportunity.”

Comments

Howard Millichap on 9 September 2019

There are always some idiots that park like, er, idiots and block the pavement. But equally there will be those same idiots that park opposite other cars in the more narrow streets that won't consider whether a fire engine or other large vehicle can get through. Either way someone with suffer.

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Maxonian on 9 September 2019

The damage to pavements and kerbs is often forgotten.

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Contax139 on 9 September 2019

That is why they should be prosecuted for parking with a wheel on kerb or pavement, it's criminal damage. I live on a road where it blocks the road if they park opposite, all have driveways and front gardens that can also be used for parking if they have more cars, many are too lazy or incapable of parking in their drives and block the road. If you own a property with no off road parking change your property or don't get a car, think before you buy.

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Maxonian on 9 September 2019

Final blame is on those who allow modern estates to be built with no safe roadside parking available to allow fire engines and ambulances through.

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on 9 September 2019

where do these idiot MPs come from - if this is implemented then there would be chaos as roads would be blocked and more traffic jams and polution !

I agree that a driver parking partly on the pavement should always leave space for a buggy to get past

most residential roads were
were not made wide enough for people to park fully on the roads both sides so this law is complete lunacy

The thing about damaging pavements is the fault of the council who should build them to a better standard

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1963andy on 9 September 2019

They do it all the time up my road & being about 10 min walk to Town & they don't want to pay for parking. Had some law breakers last weekend on the path outside our House. 1st had a out of date MOT(well over a month) & the other NO Tax(also well over month out of date). Reported both to 101 & No Tax one also to DVLA via the online reporting.

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John McLean on 9 September 2019

The planning of streets in former days, in particular around residential areas, did not foresee the amount of cars parked on these.
Parking on pavements, double parking, on yellow lines, near a street or road junctions and on a bend is the norm nowadays in housing estates. Everyone wants to park close to their dwelling, however it is time to bite the bullet and create residential car parks where possible and strictly enforce illegal parking.
The U.K. roads have become a huge car park at times, I foresee a situation where number plates (even or odd), will be used for driving on particular days.

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Andrew Greening on 9 September 2019

The problem is there is NO DETERRENT, those useless blocks of wood in Westminster fail to comprehend that Police are stretched to breaking point thanks to Theresa May and her cull of Police when Home Secretary such that they go from pillar to post dealing with crime first and traffic laws are not high on their list.

Secondly, new build estates have few spaces to park as the builders are looking for maximum profit from houses and no thought given to families which nowadays will have more then one car per household leaving their cars to be parked wherever they can do so and if that's in stupid places then tough on everybody else is their motto.

Thirdly As Brexit is being scuppered by 328 chumps in Westminster regarding No Deal then it's another problem that these clowns have yet to agree on after 3 years of no sodding movement. Boris has tried and looks to be yet again defeated following the indecent haste they cobbled together the anti No Deal Bill in days.

Parking is even lower down the list yet again so when I come across fools who park up making it impossible to get by in my Artic they may well find some 'brush past' inflictions.

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Davel Lewis on 9 September 2019

Re pavement parking — interestingly some roads where I live the council to resolve issue of narrow roads and pavement parking ,have reduced the width of the pavement and put in block paving with dropped kerb . Clearly defining the parking strip from the pavement . Roads can’t be made wider so a compromise is the only practical solution . I think most pavements exceed the practical needed width .

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Brian Atkinson on 9 September 2019

Our council is busy marking out pavements with parking lines.... the cost of repairing pavements and issues with vulnerable people negotiating their way around these council parking approved areas seems to have got lost in their urgency to spend money. Garages on houses, parking bays in car parks and road widths still appear to be built without any thought to the size of modern cars. Garages become store rooms so the car is left outside. Parking bays become sources of anger as car doors bang against adjacent vehicles so parking in the middle of two bays or in the disabled and family bays increases leading to more rage becomes more frequent. New roads are not suitable for parking because they are too narrow leading to blocked roads and even more anger.
I suspect each successive government will implement laws that will take the ownership of a private vehicle out of the financial range of the working class and the vulnerable.
It cannot carry on forever. Under the myth of climate change, governments will remove many freedoms of the populous. Vehicle ownership will be at or near the top of that list.

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Contax139 on 9 September 2019

If the drive of a house is not suitable for the car you have don't buy the house or change the car.I drive a wide vehicle and manage in car parks as long as others park centrally in their bay and I am 20 stone, if you think using a disabled bay is fine without a blue badge is fine then I think crushing your car is fine as a penalty, too many just dump their cars so should have them removed or at least clamped with at least £100 release fee. Roads are for access not car parks so to park for more than 1 hour within 1 mile of your home should require extra taxation of at least £5 a week.

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Contax139 on 9 September 2019

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Rob Pollock on 10 September 2019

I agree, old housing estates are just as bad, we live near a school and every September the problems start again as a fresh intake of little darlings that can't possibly walk to school are dropped off, the parents abandoning their cars anywhere they feel like. The resulting traffic jams would definitely be made worse if some of them didn't bump up on the path, so it's a no-win situation. And we live in a village, the roads are probably only just wide enough for a horse and cart, and despite this, the council is quite happy to grant planning permission for more houses, with more cars and more little darlings needing to be driven to the already overfilled school.

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Mr Nexus on 9 September 2019

Totally against this sort of blanket ban, formed in the minds of people who place theory above practice. All councils need to do is mark problem areas and police those as pavement parking is largely not an issue to most. As long as drivers are careful and allow at least one metre for chairs/scooters to get through, there really isn't a problem.

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Justy on 9 September 2019

The people complaining are the same people that walk in the road when the pavements are icy.

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conman on 9 September 2019

Our local council have the great policy of narrowing roads and widening the pavements instead of the other way round. If cars park on the pavements usually it means the roads are not wide enough. It's OK for these MP's which the majority can park their cars in a garage or on their drives. In reality us poorer people can't, so a better solution is to ban all poor people from owning cars. This would also help with the overcrowding problem. Also I believe a think tank from the Jeremy Corbyn party are looking at banning all private cars by 2030 or is that fake news. No common sense, only political correctness..

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Dave - Northampton on 10 September 2019

Pavement parking in order to leave enough road for 1½ cars to pass is a pain for pedestrians and no help to drivers.

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Captain-Cretin on 11 September 2019

There is no short or medium term solution to this problem that will work.

Far too many homes, from those built today, to those built 150 years ago, have no off road parking, narrow roads and on a nearby estate, all corners. Seriously, every road in a 5,000 house estate is curved like a snake with indigestion.

I park "up" the pavement when it is clear the road is too narrow for a fire engine otherwise, when possible I leave enough space for a double buggy.
As others, one of the local councils "traffic calming" measures is to double the width of the pavements; in some cases this causes chaos at busy times, because there isnt enough room for a large lorry and a car to pass each other without one or the other mounting the kerb.
Way to go m****s.

In fact, modern homes are often worse for this than a street of Victorian houses; minimal front gardens, every street an "exciting curve", and in many cases, not even enough off road space to park a standard "family" sized car.
Where my son lives, the residents have to share a carpark with a supermarket, and there arent enough spaces for 1 car per apartment even before customers start taking them; so there are cars parked haphazardly on every flat piece of ground.
How did the developers get planning permission for this ?? (built in 2015/6)

The consequences of emergency services being unable to get through are potentially far worse than the inconvenience of having to cross the road to get around pavement parked cars (one possible short term measure, allow pavement parking on one designated side).
I have seen fire engines unable to reach a burning Victorian house where people were reported trapped, because both (narrow) roads leading to it were blocked by parked cars.

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