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.
Take action where you live
Across the UK we need local councils to introduce bans on pavement parking.
And in London, we need authorities to enforce the ban already in place.
Meanwhile, in Scotland, we need to rally support for proposed legislation that would clamp down on irresponislbe parking.
Learn more about pavement parking by reading our frequently asked questions:
Who is reponsbile for enforcing pavement parking bans?
Is government legislating a ban on pavement parking?
What is the situation in Scotland?
What is the situation in London?
What is Living Streets’ policy on pavement parking?
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.
Sign up to post your own updates and find out what other people are talking about as part of this campaign
''Pavement Parker'' in Royal Borough of Greenwich, London.
''Pavement Parker'' in Royal Borough of Greenwich, London.
''Pavement Parker'' in Royal Borough of Greenwich, London.
Another ''Pavement Parker'' in Hutchins Road, Royal Borough of Greenwich, London. SE28 8SA.
Reply from Basingstoke & Deane Borough Councillor: "I didn’t know that Local authorities had any such power but if they do it will be the Highway Authority, HCC.
I have taken this up before with the police but they say they only have power where there is an obstruction and the person obstructed needs to be there when they record it. The main sufferers are wheelchair / mobility scooter users and they just take a different route."
I can see pavement parking creates a great deal of anger. Full pavement parking - i.e. a car totally on the pavement and causing pedestrians to step out round it is relatively rare in my (terraced) road, but it does happen and I think it is slightly on the increase. Whilst fully agreeing that this is selfish and annoying, I think we do need to try and think about this constructively.
Many times in my road my partner and I have driven around for ages in our (shared, small, elderly) car trying to find a parking space. We have never parked on the pavement. We would not do that, but I can see what makes some people do that and I think crying out for everyone to get rid of their car - yay! Problem solved! - is not going to work. I would also think that most people reading this are too intelligent to seriously think that a Daily Mail approach - simply focusing on more punishments - is a workable answer to most things. Car ownership is going up. More people who live in roads without garages now have cars, and sorry, but but we do need ours (Yes thank you, I am a non-driver and I also use the local railway station, but not always practicable.) and we wouldn't want to suggest that only people rich enough to have garages should have cars ... would we?
So - what to do? Diagonal parking bays would work in some roads. Not in ours - not enough space. What we think might work better but we cannot get our local councillors interested is marked out parking bays parallel to the road. Sure some people would ignore them, or have too large a vehicle, but where these are provided they mostly seem respected. This would avoid one very annoying problem: several cars ending up parked close together with gaps between them not big enough take any more cars. However, if they were parked more tidily then there would be more spaces. Simple painted on bays might help solve the problem. Has anyone tried it?
In the close that i live in at one side of the road there are 6 semi and 18 cars no garages used 6 cars on there drives the rest parked on the pavements . I am at the top ot the close so when i look put of my lounge window all i see is cars It like living on a Car Park . I dont know who to report this problem. This must be safety Issue For the Emergency Services
Gotta say, pavement parking is more a a problem issue for drivers round my way instead of me. I mean, there's only so many times their insurance company will let them claim for the keyed paintwork and broken wing mirrors I cause. All accidentally mind you, I always hold my keys in my hand pointing slightly outward...
I fully agree that motorists shouldn't park on pavements but there has been no provision for empty spaces to be used for parking in terrace streets. Terrace streets were designed before the use of cars and it should be up to councils to make provisions for modern life
I sent this pic to the company and out to Twitter with caption, "Lured by Betty's Baps, Dan mistakes bus stop for parking space" Company has contacted me and they are going to discipline the driver and warn others at that depot not to park on the pavement. 1-0 to @livingstreets