A government inquiry has suggested that pavement parking could be banned in England.
The Transport Select Committee is to launch an enquiry into public safety issues caused by vehicles impeding pavement use.
The committee will also look at the damage its causes to pathways and kerbs and the resultant impact it has on council budgets.
An outright ban may prove contentious there are instances when on-street parking is impractical due to the width of the road.
The ban will make pavement parking a criminal offence, as opposed to a civil parking offence, therefore making it enforceable by the police, not councils.
Committee chair Lilian Greenwood MP said:
“This is an area where some people’s actions cause real difficulties for others. Parking on pavements risks the safety of all groups of people from the littlest to the oldest, with differing needs.
“While we’re also inquiring into Active Travel – how we get more people to get into walking and cycling – we need to make sure it’s safe to take to the streets. We want to hear from the public about the difficulties this presents and the solutions on offer.”
“For those with visual difficulties, who use mobility aids, or need to navigate footpaths with children, unpredictable hazards such as cars represent a potential danger.”
A nationwide ban would bring the country into line with London, which introduced the ban in 1974.
Recent polls showed that:
- 46% of drivers confused by current laws on pavement parking
- 95% of drivers don’t know all aspects of current law about pavement parking
- 97% of blind people have had problems with obstructions and 90% of these have been because of cars parked on the pavements
- 17% of drivers admitted to parking on the pavement once a week or more often
- 21% of drivers did not think that parking on a pavement constituted as dangerous driving