More than half (52%) of the public now wants a UK-wide ban on pavement parking, showing a significant change in recent years.

More than half (52%) of Brits are now in favour of banning pavement parking across the whole of the UK

The figures come from a new study by online parking portal YourParkingSpace.co.uk; the same survey two years ago found only 44% supported a ban.

A government consultation currently being planned could see a ban introduced soon – at present, pavement parking is only banned in London, with Scotland soon to follow. However the majority of the public has historically been against the move.

A House of Commons Transport Committee enquiry into pavement parking a year ago set out that pavement parking creates real problems, including for those with visual difficulties and who use mobility aids as well as those who need to navigate footpaths with children.

Any ban could hit large numbers of drivers though; the latest survey by YourParkingSpace.co.uk found this is how more than one in three drivers have parked their vehicles in the past while more than one in 20 park on a pavement on a daily basis. The most popular reason for doing so was to stop the vehicle from blocking the road.

Recent research also found a ban would not stop nearly one in five (16%) of motorists from continuing to leave their vehicles on pavements, despite the risk of punishment.