Driving on pavement

[CantDecide]

OK, not an advanced driving question at all, in fact prompted by helping my daughter learn to drive…

Went into Cambridge and one of the test routes takes you down Albert street. Part way down the street has parking on one side (for the houses there) but that leaves a ridiculously narrow road which for the first part is impossible for the average car to pass without driving on the pavement. Further down (about 20 car lengths) it widens slightly and you can just about drive down (that did involve scraping one wheel along the pavement sadly). Many of the cars down there are clearly showing the results of the narrow road with their wing mirror broken or damaged.

This is a street view image:


So what gives - the Highway Code states: Rule 145 states: “You MUST NOT drive on or over a pavement, footpath or bridleway except to gain lawful access to property, or in the case of an emergency“.

This isn’t access to a property or emergency but you can’t reasonably get past without going on the pavement and can’t turn around so if a car was behind you would have no choice. What would you do on a test and in general?

[CantDecide]

Brilliant, many thanks for the responses which are most helpful.

I will check out further with Brookmount Court test centre.

[CantDecide]

Just to close this off, my daughter had her test today, which thankfully did not include this street. She did manage to go off route by missing a sign, but the examiner provided corrective instructions and she was not given a fault for this.

Delighted to say that she passed!

Thanks all for the helpful guidance.