The UK government has announced plans to ban antisocial parking in a bid to make pavements safer for families and people with disabilities.
Three options have been proposed by the Department for Transport: making it easier for councils to ban pavement parking in their areas, giving councils powers to fine drivers who park on paths and an outright ban. The public consultation period, now open, will run until 22 November this year.
The proposals come in the wake of a review that found that a third of visually impaired people and almost half of wheelchair users were less willing to go out alone because of “antisocial” pavement parking.
Transport secretary Grant Shapps said: “Parking on pavements means wheelchair users, visually impaired people and parents with pushchairs can be forced into the road, which is not only dangerous but [also] discourages people from making journeys.
“A key part of our green, post-Covid recovery will be encouraging more people to choose active travel, such as walking, so it's vital that we make the nation’s pavements accessible for everyone.”
The importance of opening up pavements to vulnerable pedestrians has been emphasised by a number of bodies, including the Living Streets and Guide Dogs charities.
However, others have sounded caution. The AA's head of roads policy, Jack Cousens, said: “A driver who deliberately parks in an obstructive manner and blocks the path of any pedestrian should expect to be punished.
“However, an outright ban on pavement parking could cause a series of unintended consequences. As we have seen over the past few weeks with road closures and narrowed roads, councils have acted with little consultation and in many cases lost confidence of the communities they serve.
“Local authorities should make a street-by-street assessment and, where pavement parking is allowed, markings should show how much pavement can be used. While councils have always had the powers to tackle problem parking, it would be typical if the only time they act is when there's fines income to be had from it.”
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Coincidence
Just as I was reading this article, I looked out of my living room window to spot a camper van parked on teh path and a man with his kid (who was in a motorised wheelchair) had to back up to a dipped curb so they could get on the road to go around.
I've never been a fan of pavement parkers especially when there is barely no pavement.
I do like the areas where they have coloured or lined areas on pavements for vehicles like half pavement half road parking.
Treating the symptom, not the cause
Paving parking is a pain in the rear. I have a toddler and pushing him around in his push chair I do sometimes have to walk out on to the road because some a$$hat has parked so far on the pavement there isn't enough room to get the buggy passed.
However, most of the time there is a reason for this.
Once again, government lazily attacks the motorist rather than actually trying to solve the problem at hand.
Privileged Mentality
We live in a nice cul-de-sac and have parking areas in the corners for temporary parking, despite this people park on the pavement and (as our neighbour runs a childcare business) we regularly have parents park right Infront of our driveway, blocking our access to the road, even tho there's an empty parking bay literally 2 metres away.
The excuses are always the same and usually start, "I'm only...." and there is NEVER any apology. People think they can do what they want because their lives are more important and their time more valuable.
Hit em hard with fines and they might get some social conscience.
Me too!
I live in cul de sac to, three spaces for whoever at the top, there are some homes with three cars so some have to park on the road, but they all park on one side, occasionally there's a problem but we all just get on with it and sort it out. No fuss, no hassle.