Pavement parking is now illegal in Scotland

Richard Aucock, Contributor
Fri, 19 Jan 2024

A ban on pavement parking, double parking and parking at dropped kerbs means the practice is now illegal across Scotland.

Under the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, motorists now face fines for parking on the pavement. Local authorities have been able to enforce the law since 11 December 2023.

The ban on pavement parking in Scotland applies nationwide. Drivers found guilty of breaking the new parking laws face a £100 fine, although if they pay it within 14 days, it will be reduced to £50.

Transport Scotland is now running a public information campaign to inform motorists that parking on the pavement is illegal.

This will include radio, outdoor and social media advertising – and "highlight the dangers pavement parking poses to pavement users, forcing them to take unnecessary risks by moving around the car and onto the road."

Minister for Transport Fiona Hyslop said the message is clear. She says pavement parking is unsafe, unfair and illegal. Scotland is the first of the four nations to make pavement parking illegal nationwide.

"This change in legislation is a step towards developing communities that are better able to support active travel, building on the work that is already underway to reduce emissions and helping us meet our world-leading climate change targets," says Hyslop.

Michael Tornow, who is blind, said that pavement parking frustrated him. "It’s just very tiring, trying to navigate around parked cars. And not just for me, but for others – people in wheelchairs, people pushing buggies. It’s just not very considerate."

Tornow hopes the new enforcement will make people understand that pavement parking is both unsafe and unfair.

Scotland’s ban on pavement parking follows last year’s introduction in Wales of 20mph speed limits.

While pavement parking remains legal outside Scotland, London is one of the few areas to outlaw it in certain areas. More than half of roads in London also now have 20mph speed limits.

Ask HJ

Is pavement parking legal?

In your answer 'Is it legal to park on the pavement' you state "if he is wholly on the pavement it is less clear if he would be given a ticket or not." Can you elaborate on this, please? My understanding is it is an offence to park in any space beyond yellow lines and an adjacent property boundary. The new Highway Code has revised parking on pavement rules also,

Unfortunately the legalities of parking on the pavement are not as clear as they could or should be, outside London at least. It is correct that yellow lines do apply to the verge and the pavement, but it is the decision of local authorities over how and where they enforce this as it very much depends on the local environment in terms of pavement width, availability of parking, housing density and so on. Rule 244 of the Highway Code draws an important distinction between London and the rest of the UK, as it states: "You MUST NOT park partially or wholly on the pavement in London, and should not do so elsewhere unless signs permit it." The key factor here is the use of 'should not' as opposed to 'must not', which creates the grey area for interpretation on a local level. The safest approach is to never park on the pavement.

Answered by David Ross

More Questions