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More than one in 10 drivers would flout pavement parking ban

A future government ban on pavement parking in England and Wales could be flouted by more than one in 10 drivers.

55% of the public don't want a pavement parking ban

More than one in 10 drivers say they’d flout a pavement parking ban

At present, pavement parking is only banned in London, with Scotland soon to follow, but a consultation being planned by the Government could bring increased powers for local authorities to crack down on unnecessary pavement obstruction.

Yet, new research from online parking portal YourParkingSpace.co.uk has found this would not stop 16% of motorists from continuing to leave their vehicles on pavements despite the risk of punishment.

But defying any ban on pavement parking would not only put drivers at risk of fines, it would also continue to bring major inconveniences to vulnerable pedestrians.

Speaking earlier this month, Stephen Edwards, director of policy and communications at Living Streets, said: “Pavement parking forces people with wheelchairs, buggies and those living with sight loss into the road and into oncoming traffic and the most vulnerable pedestrians continue to be put at risk of injury and isolation every day that this dangerous act continues.”

Yet some motorists who park on a pavement say they do it out of necessity as, for instance, parking on the road in a narrow street could block emergency vehicles.

Harrison Woods, managing director at YourParkingSpace.co.uk, commented: “It seems likely that pavement parking will become punishable in many parts of the country, yet this won’t deter a sizeable number of motorists from continuing to do so.

“We would remind all motorists to consider their actions and how it impacts on others.”

Woods added: “Pavement parking has always been a contentious issue, and even if it is banned across the whole of the UK, it will continue to divide opinion.”

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Natalie Middleton

Natalie has worked as a fleet journalist for over 20 years, previously as assistant editor on the former Company Car magazine before joining Fleet World in 2006. Prior to this, she worked on a range of B2B titles, including Insurance Age and Insurance Day.