Pavement Parking

Vehicles parked on pavements can cause real problems for people in wheelchairs or with visual impairments, as well as those with pushchairs. Indeed, a recent review of pavement parking carried out by the Department for Transport found that pavement parking was problematic for 95 per cent of respondents who were visually impaired, and 98 per cent of wheelchair users.  
 
While there is an historic ban on pavement parking throughout London, as you know, elsewhere any local authority that has taken up civil enforcement powers may introduce a ban on pavement parking where it sees fit through the use of Traffic Regulation Orders. As part of making this easier to implement, in 2011 Ministers gave all councils authorisation to use a sign indicating where a pavement parking restriction is in place, removing the need to ask Whitehall first for permission to use the sign. 
 
So the Council can do this if they want to. In fairness, however, the position remains that outside London, only the police currently have the power to enforce restrictions that council might choose to impose.
 
That's why Ministers now want to go further and intend to consult on proposals that would allow local authorities with civil parking enforcement powers to crack down on pavements being unnecessarily obstructed. The consultation will also explore how a nationwide ban on pavement parking, enforced by local authorities, could work. 
 
I appreciate that progress has not been as fast as many would like, and COVID will not have helped. However, a nationwide ban is a significant step which requires careful consideration, not least to ensure appropriate exemptions. I would be happy to press for the earliest possible resolution to this issue.