Under new plans, motorists could be fined up to £70 for parking on the pavement
In a bid to reduce the number of motorists who choose to park on pavements, the UK Government is looking at plans that could stop them from being able to do so and if caught could land them a fine of up to £70.
The Department for Transport (DfT) are said to be considering new laws which would prevent vehicles from parking on pavements and blocking the way for people with pushchairs, wheelchair users or blind pedestrians.
If the move is passed, councils across the country could make it an illegal offence to park on the kerb and anyone caught breaking the law could be hit with a fine of £50 or £70. Doing so would bring the rest of England in line with London, where for over 40 years now there’s been a ban in place for pavement parking.
Under new plans, motorists could be fined up to £70 for parking on the pavement © Copyright Jaggery and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
A change in the law is something councils have wanted for some time, arguing it’s ‘nonsense’ that motorists outside of London have been treated differently for so long.
However, motoring groups believe an all-out ban would be unsuitable for some parts of the country and may lead to more congestion.
“Motorists thinking that they’re doing their fellow road users a favour by parking up on the pavement should also have an eye to the people whose paths they might be blocking, particularly in built-up areas where thoughtless parking can mean wheelchair users and parents with prams or buggies have to contend with motor traffic,” said Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation.
President of the AA, Edmund King, is against a total ban on pavement parking, as some streets allow for safe parking in many areas.
Pavement parking is to be investigated by the Government as part of a reexamination of traffic laws which should be completed later in the year.
Apart from in the capital, motorists are allowed to park on the pavement unless their vehicle may cause an obstruction, whilst no vehicles can park on double yellow lines at any time.
If a council wishes to impose an all-out ban in one of their local areas, they normally have to rely on a traffic regulation order.
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