The Government are currently asking for your thoughts on how to tackle pavement parking.
Three options are proposed in the Government’s consultation, and there is also the ability for residents to propose their own solution.
The Government’s options are:
- Option 1: Improve Calderdale Council’s powers to prohibit pavement parking by imposing a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO). This would create targeted bans on pavement parking in areas of concern.
- Option 2: A legislative change to grant Calderdale Council with civil parking enforcement powers to enforce against an ‘unnecessary obstruction of the pavement’ (currently powers held by the police).
- Option 3: A legislative change to introduce a London-style pavement parking prohibition throughout England.
Pavement parking is currently a devolved issue. Different areas are therefore subject to varying restrictions. There is a blanket prohibition on pavement parking in London, and the Scottish Parliament has recently passed a bill to also ban pavement parking and double parking.
The situation in Calderdale is more nuanced. There must be enough room for a wheelchair or pram to pass the parked car easily. If this is not the case then the owner of the vehicle is committing an offence, and this can result in a fine of £30.
Craig Whittaker, Member of Parliament for Calder Valley, said:
“This is a pressing issue for many. Local councillors regularly receive emails complaining about pavement parking.
Pavement parking causes an obstruction that presents a huge risk for people with disabilities, pushchair users, and the elderly. Pedestrians are forced to manoeuvre around parked cars by using the road. This exposes the pedestrian to the risk of being hit by oncoming traffic. The risk is further exacerbated if the pedestrian has mobility issues.
The Government’s consultation will ensure that we get this issue right.
A blanket prohibition on pavement parking (‘option 3’) is a double-edged sword. Option 3 would remove ambiguity in Calderdale’s pavement parking policy. However, it may create challenges in our rural areas like our own. We have many narrow roads in the Calder Valley, and residents who live on these narrow roads require pavement parking to access their homes whilst allowing traffic to flow freely.