Drivers risk ?100 fine as major UK city announces ban on pavement …

A city in the UK is set to completely ban vehicles from parking[1] on the pavement. Anyone who mounts the curb while parking could face a £100 fine, while double parking[2] and parking at dropped kerbs will also be banned under new plans.

The rules affecting Edinburgh mean it will become the first Scottish city to implement such restrictions. Plans drawn up by the city council say there will be an exemption for delivery drivers.

Drivers will have to abide by the new rules when they come into force next year. London is the only city in the UK where parking on the pavement is illegal.

Poll: Should parents be able to take their kids on holiday during term time?[4]

In other cities, police can take action if drivers are causing an obstruction. In 2021, the Scottish government passed a law to allow local authorities to prevent pavement parking[5], MirrorOnline reports[6].

Ministerial approval will go through in December, leaving all councils free to enforce the ban. The council previously described parking in Edinburgh as a 'persistent issue' on more than 500 streets in the city.

A strong majority of residents - 68 per cent - supported the proposals, with pavement parking from cars and vans particularly causing trouble for disabled people and parents with pushchairs. Niall Foley, lead external affairs manager at Guide Dogs Scotland, said: "Parking on pavements is a nuisance for everyone, but potentially dangerous if you are a wheelchair user forced onto the road, pushing a buggy, or have sight loss and can't see traffic coming towards you.[7]

"When cars block the way, it undermines the confidence of people with a vision impairment to get out and about independently." Director of charity Living Streets Scotland Stuart Hay added that Edinburgh has taken the 'right approach to the enforcement of pavement parking, recognising that footways are for people, not parking spaces for cars' the BBC[8] reported.

No additional parking staff have been recruited to help enforce the ban, with the council claiming it is not necessary as there are enough legal parking spaces in the city. The plan will be debated by councillors next week and will be implemented in 2024.

It is expected other councils might follow Edinburgh’s lead, including South Lanarkshire where councillors have suggested support for the ban but have not committed to it. Car ownership is higher than the amount of parking available in certain residential areas, councillors said.

References

  1. ^ parking (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
  2. ^ parking (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
  3. ^ Thousands of British Gas customers to get free £250 credit (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
  4. ^ Poll: Should parents be able to take their kids on holiday during term time? (xd.wayin.com)
  5. ^ parking (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
  6. ^ MirrorOnline reports (www.mirror.co.uk)
  7. ^ parking (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
  8. ^ BBC (www.birminghammail.co.uk)

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