Will there be enough space for my wheelchair? Will there be space for me to walk next to my child? How will I navigate around obstacles safely with a cane or service animal, knowing that means moving into a busy road?
These are some of the questions facing pedestrians across the country as they try to navigate pavements riddled with parked cars. A clear nationwide ban on pavement parking is long overdue.
Although it has technically been an offence to drive on or park on the pavement under Section 72 of the Highways Act 1835, enforcement is inconsistent – and currently falls under police jurisdiction.
The situation is further muddied by the fact that pavement parking can also be treated as a civil contravention and local authorities can introduce their own rules, but the lack of a unified national approach leaves drivers uncertain, and pedestrians unprotected.
From those with sight loss to wheelchair users, parents with prams and children to elderly pedestrians and even to those just trying to walk on the allotted path, a supposed safe route becomes impossible to navigate.
Many people, particularly those with disabilities and slight loss, are being further isolated from society, their right to accessible walkways and public space denied.
According to research from Guide Dogs UK, four out of five blind or partially sighted people say pavement parking makes it difficult to walk on the pavement at least once a week, and 95 per cent have been forced into the road because of it. Among wheelchair and mobility scooter users, that figure rises to a devastating 99 per cent.
Meanwhile, the charity Living Streets has reported that 87 per cent of parents say they have had to walk into the road because of pavement parking and a further 80 per cent would be more likely to walk their child to school if there wasn’t pavement parking.
The implications of pavement parking don’t just end there. Our pavements are not built with cars in mind and are not strong enough to hold the weight of vehicles, especially when under such constant use.
This unforeseen wear and tear cause cracks and lumps in the pavement– not only creating further maintenance costs for local authorities – but also causing further trip hazards for pedestrians.
I recently joined Swail house, a Royal National Institute of Bling People (RNIB) property in my constituency of Epsom and Ewell, for a walkabout in Epsom High Street. As we walked, they pointed out all the potential hazards on the pavement including many broken, and uneven paving slabs that could easily cause an accident.
In England, nearly a million older adults suffer outdoor falls each year, and according to Living Streets, the resulting healthcare and personal injury costs could reach £500 million annually. It is therefore no surprise that 62 per cent of over-65s in England are worried about obstructions on the pavement.
One of the most infuriating elements of this issue is that the Government has already consulted on pavement parking back in November 2020- nearly five years ago.
The consultation set out three clear options- a national ban, giving local authorities civil enforcement powers or improve the current process under which local authorities can ban pavement parking. The options are literally on the Ministers’ desk.
A change in the law to ban pavement parking would also not be unprecedented. London has enforced prohibitions since 1974 and a ban has recently come into effect in Scotland.
Last week I hosted a Westminster Hall Debate on pavement parking and was joined by over 25 MPs from across the House who recounted the difficulties their constituents faced trying to navigate across the constituency.
A nationwide ban on pavement parking is not only popular with the public; it also enjoys clear cross-party support. The Government would be wrong to ignore this opportunity to improve the lives of millions of people across the country, people who simply want to travel safely down their own street.
It’s time to put the brakes on pavement parking
