‘Long-overdue’ powers to ban pavement parking should be extended to all areas across England now, the Local Government Association (LGA) has argued.
In London, parking on the footway is banned and three years ago the Government consulted on extending the ban across England. An announcement has yet to be made.
Pavement parking pose a risk to pedestrians – particularly older and disabled people, parents with pushchairs and young children, and blind and partially sighted people – as they are forced to navigate around vehicles or step into the road.
Parking on the pavement can also damage the surface, creating trip hazards and requiring costly repairs, according to a new report commissioned by the LGA.
Councils face a lack of funding, difficulties in maintaining a clear picture of the condition of footways, and bureaucratic hurdles in obtaining traffic regulation orders to address these issues, the report says.
LGA transport spokesperson Darren Rodwell said the ‘scourge’ of pavement parking is one of the biggest complaints from pedestrians and poses ‘potential danger to life’.
He added: ‘If we are to meet the Government’s ambition for half of all trips in England's towns and cities to be walked, wheeled or cycled by 2030, then it makes sense to give councils across the country the same powers as in the capital, making our streets safer and footpaths open for everyone.’
