Pavement parking
Pavements up and down the country are under threat from inconsiderate pavement parkers. We should all be able to walk on them without worrying about vehicles blocking our way.
Your local authority has the power to protect your pavement. Tell them that you support a pavement parking ban across your area, and find out what they’re doing to clamp down on pavement parkers. If you live in Scotland, you can support the Proposed Responsible Parking Bill.
Pavement parking - why is it a problem?
Pavement parking is a pain for everyone, but it’s particularly an issue for those with mobility problems, parents with pushchairs and older people, who may fear leaving their homes as they feel unsafe. As well as making it difficult for people to use their streets, it can also cause substantial damage to pavements. This costs councils tens of thousands of pounds each year to repair.
Who is responsible for enforcing pavement parking bans?
In many areas, the local council is responsible for enforcing pavement parking bans. The government encourages local councils to apply to take over parking responsibilities from the police. This is called decriminalisation, because parking offences become civil matters, rather than criminal. In other areas where the local council has not applied to take charge, the police will still be responsible for enforcement. The parking section of your council’s website should tell you the situation in your area.
Is government legislating a ban on pavement parking?
Unfortunately the government is not proposing a blanket ban on pavement parking. In London, however, a blanket ban on pavement parking does exist.
What is the situation in Scotland?
A Members’ bill was proposed in the Scottish Parliament in 2010 by Ross Finnie MSP, to give councils greater enforcement powers over pavement and dropped kerb parking. In the public consultation, 83% supported the proposal, and 30 MSPs across the 5 main parties backed legislation. Unfortunately, there wasn’t time before the end of the parliamentary term to enact legislation.
Joe Fitzpatrick MSP has now declared he will take forward legislation in this area. Find out more and support the proposed bill here.
What is the situation in London?
Pavement parking is banned throughout the 32 London boroughs, and the City of London under the Greater London (General Purposes) Act 1974. The Highway Code states; 'You MUST NOT park partially or wholly on the pavement in London'. All councils in London can and should enforce this law by issuing parking tickets to any vehicles parked on pavements, unless there is a sign there that specifically permits it.
What is Living Streets’ policy on pavement parking?
You can download our policy briefing on pavement parking.
More broadly, Living Streets calls for:
- UK Government to make pavement parking illegal throughout the UK
- Scottish Government to expand dropped kerb regulations into Scotland
- UK Government to lead a wider national “pavement education” campaign on all aspects of using our pavements – including anti-social parking and cycling
- All local authorities to decriminalise and take on the civil enforcement of parking offences
- Where police are responsible for enforcement, to take the issue more seriously and enforce all instances of pavement parking.
Take action on pavement parking
Protect a pavement today: write to your local council and ask them to take action on pavement parking.
Read moreSign up to post your own updates and find out what other people are talking about as part of this campaign
Whilst I think that pavement parking is a big problem, I also think that hedges are as much of an issue.
Some years ago the local authority put in a reinforced strip of tarmac along my road to allow parking with two wheels on the strip. There was plenty of pavement left to allow for pushchairs, wheelchairs and mobility scooters. However, since then is seems to have become the norm to grow the hedge about two feet out from the boundery of houses gardens.
Now, when people park as permitted, pedestrians have to walk in the road!
"Park where you will" is S'derbysire's thing. Double white lines in center of the road on a bend. At a bus stop as well...That's fine.
Zig-zag markings at a zebra crossing used as a quick park-up whilst popping in the post office for a minute or two,, or using the ATM. No problem
Double park: whilst your precious little kiddies have their last half hour at school, blocking the bus route . Doesn't matter, buses are not known to be good time keepers anyway. Pity about the fire engine though, it couldn't get past the bus coming the other way. Did that driver have to keep his blue lights flashing & turning his siren on & off?
That woman in her wheel chair; she was lucky, her husband should have been watching the traffic before trying to get past that car on the pavement. It could have caused a lot of damage to two cars, had it been hit. That other car coming the other way nearly got hit as well I expect that the chair pusher must have blocked the line of vision. Good job the driver had just finished her 'phone conversation.
Mind you though, I can't blame the driver, the pot-holes in the guttering are getting deeper. Filled with rain-ware, the passengers might get their feet wet when getting out. As to people waiting at a bus stop with those big puddles in the guttering, they make good targets to soak as drivers pass by. Better still if they are just walking, moving targets :-D
I am disabled with the use of walking sticks and everyday I have to walk on the road to pass a neighbours vehicle on the pavement she is young has kids there are places to park opposite but no, getting on going thing now she just parks on pavement without bothering looking for a place opposite, also have to other neighbours with mobilty buggies having the same trouble shocking something needs to be done no point contacting my council tried that no reply.
Motorist should be banned from parking on pavements full stop. as I walk my dogs there are times I have to walk on a busy road because of selfish parking, what is worse is see Mothers with prams or young ones or both having to walk on the road, this not right, pavements should be pedestrians not cars etc, Parking on pavements make it dangerous for pedestrians.
| Attachment | Size |
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 Living Streets' policy paper on parking and the pedestrian | 916.76 KB |
| Put up a pavement parking poster (version one) | 628.17 KB |
| Put up a pavement parking poster (version two) | 576.31 KB |
As below.