Parking / Driving on the Pavement

[Hackney]

This isn't in relation to a specific incident but I would like to know the law because I've come across the debate a couple of times.

1. Parking on the pavement - often one side will quote that it is illegal to park on the pavement because it is illegal to drive on the pavement, how do you park on the pavement without driving there. If this is the case, surely that also makes parking on your own drive illegal because you had to drive on the pavement to get there. Is this correct? Is it a law but those circumstances mean no-one is ever charged?

2. a cycle lane has a solid line, but passes a marked parking or loading bay. Is it illegal to cross the cycle lane? I can find references to parking in the cycle lane, but that's not the question. Parking in an authorised bay.

Thanks

[vonhosen]

Hackney said:

This isn't in relation to a specific incident but I would like to know the law because I've come across the debate a couple of times.

1. Parking on the pavement - often one side will quote that it is illegal to park on the pavement because it is illegal to drive on the pavement, how do you park on the pavement without driving there. If this is the case, surely that also makes parking on your own drive illegal because you had to drive on the pavement to get there. Is this correct? Is it a law but those circumstances mean no-one is ever charged?

2. a cycle lane has a solid line, but passes a marked parking or loading bay. Is it illegal to cross the cycle lane? I can find references to parking in the cycle lane, but that's not the question. Parking in an authorised bay.

Thanks

Parking on the footway in London is illegal save where there are signs permitting it.
Generally other areas it is legal to park on the footway unless signs prohibit it & unless other offences (ie unnecessary obstruction) are being committed.

Even where it's illegal to park or drive on the footway (such as London) it is permitted to cross the footway at appropriate places to gain access to property or legal parking, just as it is legal to cross a solid white line (cycle lane) to do so.

[Roofless Toothless]

It is my understanding that it is illegal to cross the pavement even to get to your own driveway unless there is an approved dropped kerb installed.

That’s why they are officially called ‘crossovers’ and not ‘dropped kerbs’ as the kerb itself is only part of the set up. It cost me a lot of money to install one of these at my house when I moved in. Much of the money goes on searches about utilities passing under the pavement, as the passage of a vehicle might damage the conduits, etc.

[Hackney]

This is what I thought.
I can't find any legislation or official guidance to prove it though.

[vonhosen]

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Will4/5-6/50/...

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1980/66/secti...

[AJL308]

There have been suggestions from various quarters that parking on the footway should be criminalised nationally. If that were ever implemented it would cause uproar because lots of residential estates simply do not have roads which are wide enough for residents to park on. The current situation of it being allowed unless it causes an unnecessary obstruction is perfectly fine.

I do think that enforcement of crossing over the footway to reach private land where a vehicle crossing point has not been installed should be more heavily clamped down on though. If you want to to it then you pay the price like everyone else has to.

[bad company]

AJL308 said:

There have been suggestions from various quarters that parking on the footway should be criminalised nationally. If that were ever implemented it would cause uproar because lots of residential estates simply do not have roads which are wide enough for residents to park on. The current situation of it being allowed unless it causes an unnecessary obstruction is perfectly fine.

I do think that enforcement of crossing over the footway to reach private land where a vehicle crossing point has not been installed should be more heavily clamped down on though. If you want to to it then you pay the price like everyone else has to.

Why not make the laws in London the same across the country. Where there’s narrow roads pavement parking could be allowed. At the moment there’s a lot of abuse with people leaving cars on pavements blocking pedestrians.

[AJL308]

bad company said:

Why not make the laws in London the same across the country. Where there’s narrow roads pavement parking could be allowed. At the moment there’s a lot of abuse with people leaving cars on pavements blocking pedestrians.

So, exactly what I said, then? Not causing an unnecessary obstruction.

If you adopted the London method but allowed for a "narrow road" exemption you'd just be creating more work and, ultimately, you'd end up with the locals in one locale arguing over whether their road was sufficiently narrow to benefit.

Can't see what the problem is in simply allowing it but with the caveat that it doesn't cause an unnecessary obstruction. Which is precisely the situation now.

[bad company]

AJL308 said:

bad company said:

Why not make the laws in London the same across the country. Where there’s narrow roads pavement parking could be allowed. At the moment there’s a lot of abuse with people leaving cars on pavements blocking pedestrians.

So, exactly what I said, then? Not causing an unnecessary obstruction.

If you adopted the London method but allowed for a "narrow road" exemption you'd just be creating more work and, ultimately, you'd end up with the locals in one locale arguing over whether their road was sufficiently narrow to benefit.

Can't see what the problem is in simply allowing it but with the caveat that it doesn't cause an unnecessary obstruction. Which is precisely the situation now.

If you can't see what the problem is you mustn't be living in an area where cars blocking pavements isn't a problem. Where I live it is. If pavement parking was made illegal albeit with some exemptions there would be more enforcement which I say would be a good thing.

[AJL308]

bad company said:

If you can't see what the problem is you mustn't be living in an area where cars blocking pavements isn't a problem. Where I live it is. If pavement parking was made illegal albeit with some exemptions there would be more enforcement which I say would be a good thing.

The point I'm making is that if it's causing a problem with obstructions now then there's a mechanism to deal with it because that it already illegal. It may result in more enforcement but it's unnecessary to create an offence if most footway parking isn't actually causing an obstruction.

[R0G]

Apart from where pavement parking is necessary to allow for a fire engine to get through then there is absolutely no reason to park a vehicle on any pavement but drivers will make up their own reasons for doing so

Because of this the Govt are contemplating make it illegal unless local councils make exemptions

[bad company]

AJL308 said:

bad company said:

If you can't see what the problem is you mustn't be living in an area where cars blocking pavements isn't a problem. Where I live it is. If pavement parking was made illegal albeit with some exemptions there would be more enforcement which I say would be a good thing.

The point I'm making is that if it's causing a problem with obstructions now then there's a mechanism to deal with it because that it already illegal. It may result in more enforcement but it's unnecessary to create an offence if most footway parking isn't actually causing an obstruction.

Trust me the mechanism you’re referring to isn’t working. My local council insist that there’s nothing to stop pavement parking.

[gazza285]

R0G said:

Apart from where pavement parking is necessary...

No pavement parking is necessary, people do it because they are too idle to find a better place to park and walk to their destination.

[Jarcy]

gazza285 said:

R0G said:

Apart from where pavement parking is necessary...

No pavement parking is necessary, people do it because they are too idle to find a better place to park and walk to their destination.

This of course is total nonsense. In many circumstances partial pavement parking is the perfect balance between avoiding obstruction to both the highway and the footpath. And often around residential streets there is no alternative "better place to park".

As stated, the current legislation is fine. Of course there are circumstances where proper consideration and cooperation is not observed, but you can't correct that with a blanket nationwide blunt tool of a ban. It'll just move the problem elsewhere.

[gazza285]

Jarcy said:

gazza285 said:

R0G said:

Apart from where pavement parking is necessary...

No pavement parking is necessary, people do it because they are too idle to find a better place to park and walk to their destination.

This of course is total nonsense. In many circumstances partial pavement parking is the perfect balance between avoiding obstruction to both the highway and the footpath. And often around residential streets there is no alternative "better place to park".

As stated, the current legislation is fine. Of course there are circumstances where proper consideration and cooperation is not observed, but you can't correct that with a blanket nationwide blunt tool of a ban. It'll just move the problem elsewhere.

So how do the residents of London cope without parking on the pavement?

Edited by gazza285 on Friday 27th November 12:42

[Jarcy]

gazza285 said:

So how do the residents of London cope without parking on the pavement?

Edited by gazza285 on Friday 27th November 12:42

In many cases, the residents don't cope.
I guess the respective boroughs have considered it worth the investment in signage and pavement painted to mark out where all the exemptions are needed. I guess considerable red tape is negotiated trying to get such exemptions in place.
I guess the councils are pleased with the opportunity to mark out metered parking bays and are happy to manage residents permit parking.

The needs of an inner city are quite different to that of suburbia and the countryside. Hence a blanket ban is not appropriate.

[MoggieMinor]

I do think the time has long passed for this to be addressed. For years now developers have been building houses with very little parking. Usually one space, a 'garage' that no car could possibly fit inside or no parking at all. People then buy these places and expect to park 3 cars and a work van.. The result is vehicles dumped everywhere, on pavements, near junctions, blocking dropped kerbs etc.

Similar situation with old terraced streets that were built long before cars were about. It is not too bad if each house only has one car but not many do.

[NMNeil]

The powers that be are aware of the problem of cars blocking the pavement.
The consultation period ended a few days ago, so the results will be interesting.
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/managi...
And it's an offence to park on the pavement (even one wheel) in London.
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/1974/24/sectio...

[NMNeil]

Jarcy said:

This of course is total nonsense. In many circumstances partial pavement parking is the perfect balance between avoiding obstruction to both the highway and the footpath. And often around residential streets there is no alternative "better place to park".

Then perhaps the government should follow the lead of the Japanese.
Before you can register a car you have to prove that you have a place to park it. No parking place, no car.
https://www.reinventingparking.org/2014/06/japans-...

[sixor8]

gazza285 said:

No pavement parking is necessary, people do it because they are too idle to find a better place to park and walk to their destination.

In many of the streets around here, especially those with old terraced house, if cars weren't parked half on the kerbs, there wouldn't be enough room for any passing traffic at all. No, they can't all park a mile away and walk back.....