The Urban Transport Group has today welcomed “new and improved legal powers” that will be given to local leaders, which will make it easier to restrict pavement parking.

The Department for Transport has responded to a consultation of 2020, seeking views on the issue of pavement parking, which the then Government said causes “inherent dangers for all pedestrians.”

The Urban Transport Group responded to the consultation, highlighting how pavement parking: restricts independent mobility for a wide range of groups; frequently forces pedestrians to step out into the road, putting them at risk of injury or death from motor traffic; and, degrades pavement surfaces and verges.

We recommended that local authorities (outside of London, where there is already a ban on pavement parking) be given the powers and flexibility to tackle pavement parking, aligned with local needs.

Rebecca Fuller, Assistant Director of the Urban Transport Group, said:

“Pavement parking has become a blight on some communities, preventing a wide range of people from being able to make their everyday journeys safely and putting people at risk as they are forced into the road.

“We are pleased that Government is putting power in the hands of local leaders who understand where local communities face the challenge of pavement parking, and will be able to act accordingly to improve access for all those who wish to use our streets safely.”