New pavement parking ban backed by roads chief in Solihull
Solihull’s roads chief has said councils should be handed greater powers to deal with drivers who park on pavements.
Cllr Ken Hawkins, the cabinet member for environment and highways, would be keen to see local authorities given the leeway to police the problem.
His comments follow a call by a group of MPs for a change in the law, which would ban pavement parking across England.
Cllr Hawkins said many motorists pulled onto the kerb to avoid blocking the road, but this proved “self-defeating” – with two cars still unable to pass and an added obstacle created for pedestrians.
Speaking this week, he said: “It’s not just around schools it’s on the little side streets on our estates, where it’s a problem for pushchairs and wheelchairs and more and more people who have got their own motorised scooters.
“I’ve seen them go in the road to avoid a car parked on the pavement.”
The former inspector said he would not want to see “valuable” police resources taken up tackling the issue and said the “simple answer” was for councils to hand out fines for this type of offence themselves.
At present, a local authority can ban pavement parking in certain areas by imposing a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO), but this is a costly process and MPs said “very few” were made solely for this purpose.
Cllr Hawkins believed enforcing any blanket ban would be “self-financing”, but he argued the aim would be to provide a deterrent rather than “catch out” drivers.
“We don’t want to fine people, but if you don’t want a fine the simple answer is not to do it. Obviously it’s a risk to people’s safety.”
In a report published this week, Parliament’s Transport Select Committee called for a series of measures to address the issue; these included a public awareness campaign, making it easier to implement TROs, and the creation of a new civil offence.
“Pavement parking can have a considerable impact on people’s lives and their ability to safely leave their homes,” they said.
“People are at risk of social isolation if they feel unable to leave their homes safely or are physically prevented from doing so.”
They accused ministers of “a failure to act on this issue, despite long-standing promises to do so.
The proposals received backing locally, with Cllr Steve Caudwell (Green, Castle Bromwich) describing pavement parking as “one of the most irritating and anti-social behaviours.” He took to Twitter to endorse an outright ban.
The Department for Transport (DfT) said it had recently carried out a review into the issue and would be outlining its next steps in the coming months.
A spokesman said: “We are committed to ensuring that our roads work for everyone, but are aware that pavement parking can cause real problems for a variety of road users.”
* The law:
In London it has been an offence to park on the pavement for 45 years, with those who flout the rules facing a £70 fine. Although exemptions might exist in certain streets.
Outside the capital it’s a very different story, with individual councils having to impose TROs on specific roads – although these are rare.
Police can fine motorists if they’re deemed to be causing an obstruction – although MPs argue that this isn’t clearly defined in law. And in reality stretched forces seldom take action.
Pressure has been growing to bring the rest of England in line with London, particularly after a crackdown was introduced over the border in Scotland.
Under the Select Committee’s proposals, a new civil offence would be created and councils would be handed the power to enforce it – the option backed by Cllr Hawkins.
Local authorities would still have the ability to introduce exemptions, amid concerns that in certain roads on-street parking does create difficulties and could, for example, obstruct an emergency vehicle.
This week’s report has received backing from both the Local Government Association (LGA) and a number of charities, including Guide Dogs.
Read more: https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/new-pavement-parking-ban-backed-16901873