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Courtesy of the Times
Motorists face fines of up to £70 for parking on pavements under rules designed to declutter the roadside.The Department for Transport (DfT) said it was considering an overhaul of traffic laws to prevent vehicles from blocking paths and causing difficulties for wheelchair users, people with pushchairs and blind pedestrians.
It could allow councils to make it illegal to park on the kerb unless they expressly grant permission, potentially landing offenders with fines of £50 or £70.The move would bring the rest of England into line with London, which has had an all-out ban on pavement parking for more than 40 years. Local councils have long pushed for the change, saying it was a “nonsense” that those outside London were treated differently. Two years ago, the DfT suggested that a review of pavement parking would be carried out as part of a reform of measures designed to promote more cycling and walking, but it was never carried out. However, the government has confirmed that an investigation will be conducted as part of a wider overhaul of traffic regulations that is expected to be completed this year.
Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, the motoring charity, said: “Motorists thinking that they’re doing their fellow road users a favour by parking up on the pavement should also have an eye to the people whose paths they might be blocking, particularly in built-up areas where thoughtless parking can mean wheelchair users and parents with prams or buggies have to contend with motor traffic.”
Edmund King, president of the AA, opposed a total ban. “There are some streets that are so narrow that if cars park on both sides it wouldn’t allow emergency vehicles or bin lorries to get through,” he said. “We would be concerned if there was a blanket ban because it is clearly possible in some areas to park on the pavement while still allowing room for pushchairs or people in wheelchairs to pass.”
Pavement parking has been banned in London since 1974. Councils can seek exemptions to the rule, with motorists often warned of changes through blue parking signs and white bay lines.
Outside the capital, parking on pavements is generally allowed except where vehicles are causing an obstruction, or on roads with other restrictions such as double-yellow lines. Councils usually have to resort to a traffic regulation order to impose an all-out ban in a local area.
In response to a parliamentary question, Jesse Norman, the transport minister, said: “The Department for Transport has been considering the scope for improving the traffic regulation order process. However, the department is now undertaking a broader piece of work to gather evidence on the issue of pavement parking. We expect to be able to draw conclusions later this year.”
Straying into bus lanes costs drivers £68m
Motorists are picking up 1.1 million fines a year for driving in city bus lanes. The RAC says that straying into the wrong lane is costing drivers at least £68 million after the number of penalty charge notices went up 5 per cent between 2015 and last year. Over the two years, about 994,000 fines were issued in London with 353,000 in Manchester, 339,000 in Glasgow and 268,000 in Cardiff. Fines range between £60 and £160. Simon Williams from the RAC said that the number of fines suggested that “something was awry” and many drivers did not realise they were breaking the law. He called for better signs and “smart bus lanes” which could be used by all vehicles when traffic was light. A Local Government Association spokesman said: “Councils make no apologies for enforcing the law to ensure the smooth running of bus services. The fact that more than 99 per cent of fines are not appealed clearly shows that the majority of those ticketed accept that they have broken the rules.”