Should a ban on pavement parking be rolled out across the UK? Join The Independent Debate

Powers to ban pavement parking should be extended across England, at least that is the view of a report published by councils last week.

Wheelchair users, older people and parents with pushchairs are among those put at risk by having to navigate around vehicles mounted on kerbs, a study commissioned by the Local Government Association (LGA) warned.

The investigation found some vehicles cause “a complete obstruction to someone walking or wheeling”, meaning they have “no option but to enter the carriageway to continue their journey”.

Currently, London is the only area in England where pavement parking is banned.

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “Pavement parking is at best inconvenient and at worst hazardous for pedestrians and those in wheelchairs but in England, there’s still a massive question about if and when controls will ever be introduced.

“Rather than an outright ban, we think it would be more effective if local authorities were given enforcement powers to prevent unnecessary pavement obstructions. This prevents the need for them having to survey all their roads to work out where exemptions need to be made.”

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