Experts are urging drivers to avoid pavement parking or they could face enormous fines as calls grow for the Government to introduce new rules to crack down on the dangerous practice.
In 2020, the Government launched a consultation to hear opinions on the best methods to tackle pavement parking at a local level to help pedestrians from being impacted by dangerous parking.
It proposed three options. One was whether to improve the Traffic Regulation Order process, another was to introduce changes to allow local authorities to enforce against “unnecessary obstruction of the pavement”, while another proposal would see a London-style ban introduced across England.
Even though the consultation closed in November 2020 during Boris Johnson’s Conservative Government, the Government has yet to publish feedback.
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Drivers are being warned against parking on the pavement or they could be slapped with huge fines
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In the meantime, the Scottish Government gave the green light to ban pavement parking in December 2023 as drivers could face a fine of £100 for breaking the new rules.
The Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 makes pavement parking, double parking and parking at dropped kerbs illegal, although certain exemptions can be allowed depending on local authority rules.
There have been calls from many road safety experts, including former Transport Secretary Louise Haigh, for England and Wales to consider pavement parking rules and follow the guidance of Scotland.
Jonny Combe, President and CEO of PayByPhone, said parking laws can be some of the most difficult rules for drivers to follow, especially when things are not clearly signposted.
Speaking to GB News, he said: “Navigating parking regulations can be challenging for motorists, and parking on pavements is no exception.
“The problem for motorists is, whether you can do it or not depends on where in the UK you are. In London, parking on pavements has been illegal since 1974, and it is also banned in Edinburgh.
“However, the Highway Code wording is less clear for other parts of the UK: Rule 244 states you ‘should not do so elsewhere unless signs permit it’.”
He added that it can be difficult for motorists to adapt to changing situations in the event that there are signs allowing pavement parking or having white lines painted on the road.
In the case of Scotland, the Government launched a media campaign to alert drivers of the changes through announcements on the radio, in public and on social media.
Scottish Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop said the pavement parking ban was necessary to protect those with mobility issues, those with visual impairments or parents pushing prams and buggies.
Combe added: “Our advice to motorists is simple: don’t do it. You risk getting a fine, the cost of which will vary from Council to Council, but could be in the region of £130, even if you park with two wheels on and for a short time.
“It’s simply not worth it and in many cases may well be illegal.”
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Many road safety experts have called for new pavement parking rules to be introduced
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A report from the Local Government Association in February last year identified that a ban on pavement parking should be extended across England to “save lives and make our streets safer”.
The independent report, produced by Sustrans and Transport for All and commissioned by the LGA, also warned that poorer footpaths can also lead to lower footfall at local businesses and increased injury claims from people falling.
