Motorists dealt major blow as ‘totally disastrous’ £100 traffic rules come into effect next month

However, motorists will not be fined straight away. Instead, the council will introduce a three-month grace period, running until March 31, 2026, during which drivers parked on pavements will receive warning notices rather than penalties.

From April 1, 2026, full enforcement will begin with drivers caught parking on pavements issued with a £100 fine, although this can be reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days.

The decision was approved by councillors this month following a public awareness campaign aimed at explaining the new rules to residents, businesses and visitors.

During the warning phase, vehicles parked on pavements will receive notices on their windscreens explaining that they are breaking the law and must change their parking habits before fines are introduced.

The move follows Scottish Government legislation introduced in late 2023, which made pavement parking, double parking and stopping at dropped kerbs illegal across Scotland.

The aim of the law is to improve safety and accessibility by preventing cars from blocking footways and forcing pedestrians into busy roads.

| GETTY

The ban also covers dropped kerbs used for road crossings, but it does not apply to dropped kerbs leading into private driveways.

Importantly, the rules apply to all pavements across Scotland, unless councils officially exempt certain streets under strict criteria set by the Scottish Government.

Streets without pavements are not affected, nor are some shared-use spaces and communal parking areas.

Councillor Danny Devlin, Convener for Environment and Housing at East Renfrewshire Council, said the measures were designed to protect vulnerable road users.

| GETTY

He said: “The new rules aim to reduce danger and inconvenience to people walking, wheeling, and cycling because of pavement parking.

“By introducing enforcement, the council hopes to make pavements and roads safer for everyone to use. This will prioritise the safety of people in wheelchairs, those with mobility issues, and people with buggies and prams, who will be able to walk or wheel without having to go onto the road to pass a vehicle parked on a pavement, which many have to do currently.”

The councillor urged drivers to adapt their behaviour before fines come into force to avoid penalty charge notices. Ahead of enforcement, the council carried out a street-by-street review across East Renfrewshire.

Officials looked at speed limits, the availability of driveways and off-street parking, existing restrictions, road and pavement widths, current parking patterns and how close streets are to schools, train stations and health centres.

Under Transport Scotland guidance, councils are allowed to grant exemptions where at least 1.5 metres of pavement remains clear, or where banning pavement parking would block emergency vehicles due to narrow roads.

As a result of the assessment, the council identified 26 streets where partial exemptions may be needed. Another 270 roads were classed as not applicable to the ban, mainly because they do not have pavements or are shared-use areas.

Any exemptions must go through a formal legal process called an Exemption Order, which will include a public consultation early next year. Residents will be able to submit comments or objections before final decisions are made.

But not everyone is on board with the new changes. Taking to social media, hundreds of drivers expressed anger over the new rules.

One person shared: “This is going to be mayhem, I’ve already seen what it did to other places around Glasgow. Vehicles unable to pass, near misses and crashes have gone up, emergency services are being held up, the police are out to direct traffic because parked cars on the road leave no space for vehicles travelling, so I’ll be interested when the U-turn happens. This is totally disastrous.”