MPs recommend ban on pavement parking across England

In 2015 the Government promised to look into the issue of pavement parking in England. Consultations, roundtable events and internal reviews failed to lead to any actions to improve the public's experience of pavement parking.

In today’s Report, Pavement Parking, the Committee calls for an outright ban on pavement parking across England in the long-term.

MPs have also set out recommendations on how pavement parking can be tackled while legislation is prepared.  The Committee has recommended that the Government:

• commit to tackling pavement parking as part of its Loneliness Strategy
• legislate for a nationwide ban on pavement parking across England, outside London
• fund and deploy a national awareness campaign to highlight the negative consequences of pavement parking
• bring forward proposals to reform the TRO process—to make it cheaper and easier for local authorities to use
• abolish the requirement to advertise TROs in a local newspaper
• publicise to the general public who enforces different types of parking offences
• consult on a new offence of obstructive pavement parking.

The Chair of the Transport Committee, Lilian Greenwood MP, said:

“Pavement parking has a huge impact on people's lives and their ability get around their communities.  Motorists may feel they have no choice but to park on the pavement and many try to do so in a considerate way, but evidence to our inquiry revealed the impact on those with visual and mobility impairments and people with children.

“We are deeply concerned that the Government has failed to act on this issue, despite long-standing promises to do so. This is a thorny problem that may be difficult to resolve to the satisfaction of all, but the Government's inaction has left communities blighted by unsightly and obstructive pavement parking and individuals afraid or unable to leave their homes or safely navigate the streets.

“In the long-term we believe the Government should ban pavement parking across England—as is already the case in London. Local authorities could create exemptions if they choose to do so, but drivers would know that unless it was expressly permitted it was illegal to park their car on the pavement.

“We recognise that implementing a nationwide ban will take time. In the short-term we have said that they Government should make it easier for local authorities to put in place parking restrictions by removing some of the bureaucratic burdens they currently have to contend with. We have also recommended that the Government run an awareness campaign about the negative impacts of pavement parking, to inform drivers about the impact their behaviour has on others.”

Further information: 

Pavement Parking is a devolved matter. The Scottish Parliament is currently considering legislation which would ban pavement parking in Scotland; the Welsh Government is conducting their own work looking into the issue of pavement parking in Wales and the matter is also devolved to Northern Ireland.

The Transport Committee launched an inquiry into pavement parking in April 2019 which received over 400 written submissions, mostly from members of the public.

The Committee held two oral evidence sessions, including Living Streets, Alliance of British Drivers, Guide Dogs and representatives from local authorities across England, and the then Minister for roads Michael Ellis MP.

The Committee also visited Bexhill-on-Sea to see the problem of pavement parking first-hand and meet with members of the public including those with mobility or visual impairments, and people who are neurodiverse.

Details of the inquiry, including written and oral evidence, available here

Committee membership: Lilian Greenwood MP, Chair (Lab, Nottingham South); Jack Brereton MP (Con, Stoke-on-Trent South); Ruth Cadbury MP (Lab, Brentford and Isleworth); Robert Courts MP (Con, Witney); Ronnie Cowan MP (SNP, Inverclyde); Steve Double MP (Con, St Austell and Newquay); Paul Girvan MP (DUP, South Antrim); Huw Merriman MP (Con, Bexhill and Battle); Grahame Morris (Lab, Easington); Graham Stringer MP (Lab, Blackley and Broughton); Daniel Zeichner MP (Lab, Cambridge).