Majority of English Councils Adopt Pavement Parking Restrictions
Eighty councils across England are now enforcing a strict ban on pavement parking, according to a recent BBC News investigation. The survey found that 84 councils still permit drivers to park on the kerb, while 80 have prohibited the practice. This comes after the Labour government under then-Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer confirmed in January that local authorities would receive new powers to tackle problem pavement parking.
Despite Starmer no longer being in office, councils continue to exercise these powers under the new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham. The shift has sparked debate among motorists and pedestrian advocacy groups.
Local Government Association Weighs In
A spokesperson for the Local Government Association (LGA) told the BBC that councils “have to balance the needs of all users.” They added: “Sometimes, especially on older or tightly built streets, they have to allow some pavement parking – for example to ensure emergency vehicles, refuse trucks, and buses can safely pass. The new powers are positive and will give more practical tools to deal with obstructive parking.”
Guide Dogs Welcomes Crackdown
Guide Dogs’ Chief Executive, Andrew Lennox, expressed strong support for the initiative. He said: “After years of campaigning, we welcome the announcement to give councils greater powers to tackle problem pavement parking. Cars blocking pavements are a nuisance for everyone, but especially dangerous for people with sight loss, who can be forced into the road with traffic they can’t see. Pavement parking is also a barrier that shuts people out of everyday life. When pavements are blocked, people with sight loss lose confidence, independence and the freedom to travel safely. This stops people accessing work, education and social opportunities. We look forward to working with the government and local authorities to ensure these changes are introduced quickly and consistently enforced so pavement parking becomes a thing of the past.”
List of Councils Banning Pavement Parking
The following 80 councils have implemented a pavement parking ban: Ashford Borough Council, Blackpool Borough Council, Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Council, Bracknell Forest Borough Council, Brighton and Hove City Council, Bristol City Council, Bury Metropolitan Borough Council, Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council, Canterbury City Council, Cheshire East Council, Cheshire West and Chester Council, City of London Corporation, City of York Council, Colchester City Council, Cornwall Council, Council of the Isles of Scilly, Darlington Borough Council, Doncaster Borough Council, Dorset Council, Dover District Council, Dudley Borough Council, East Suffolk Council, Folkestone and Hythe District Council, Halton Borough Council, Hammersmith and Fulham Borough Council, Hillingdon Borough Council, Hull City Council, Ipswich Borough Council, Kensington and Chelsea Royal Borough, Kirklees Borough Council, Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council, Lancashire County Council, Leeds City Council, Lincolnshire County Council, Luton Borough Council, Manchester City Council, Medway Council, Middlesbrough Council, Newcastle upon Tyne City Council, Norfolk County Council, North Hertfordshire Council, North Lincolnshire Council, North Northamptonshire Council, North Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council, North Yorkshire Council, Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council, Plymouth City Council, Redbridge Borough Council, Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, Rutland County Council, Salford City Council, Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, Sefton Borough Council, Sevenoaks District Council, Shropshire Council, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, St Albans City and District Council, Staffordshire County Council, Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Surrey County Council, Swindon Borough Council, Thanet District Council, Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, Torbay Borough Council, Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, Wakefield City Council, Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council, West Berkshire Council, West Northamptonshire Council, West Suffolk Council, West Sussex County Council, Westminster City Council, Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council, Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council, Wokingham Borough Council, Wolverhampton City Council, and Worcestershire County Council.
Councils That Still Allow Pavement Parking
Conversely, 84 councils continue to permit pavement parking. These include: Barking and Dagenham Council, Barnet Borough Council, Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, Bath and North East Somerset Council, Bedford Borough Council, Bexley Borough Council, Birmingham City Council, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council, Bradford City Council, Brent Borough Council, Bromley Borough Council, Buckinghamshire Council, Cambridgeshire County Council, Camden Borough Council, Central Bedfordshire Council, Chelmsford City Council, Coventry City Council, Croydon Borough Council, Cumberland Council, Derbyshire County Council, Devon County Council, Durham County Council, Ealing Borough Council, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, East Sussex County Council, Enfield Council, Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council, Gloucestershire County Council, Greenwich Borough Council, Hackney Borough Council, Hampshire County Council, Haringey Borough Council, Harrow Borough Council, Hartlepool Council, Havering Borough Council, Herefordshire Council, Hounslow Borough Council, Isle of Wight Council, Islington Borough Council, Kingston upon Thames Borough Council, Lambeth Borough Council, Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council, Lewisham Borough Council, Liverpool City Council, Maidstone Borough Council, Merton Borough Council, Milton Keynes Council, Newham Borough Council, North East Lincolnshire Council, North Somerset Council, Northumberland County Council, Nottingham City Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, Oxfordshire County Council, Peterborough City Council, Portsmouth City Council, Reading Borough Council, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, Richmond upon Thames Borough Council, Sheffield City Council, Slough Borough Council, Somerset Council, South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council, Southampton City Council, Southend-on-Sea City Council, Southwark Borough Council, St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council, Stockton-on-Tees Council, Sunderland City Council, Sutton Borough Council, Swale Borough Council, Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council, Telford and Wrekin Council, Thurrock Council, Tower Hamlets Borough Council, Waltham Forest Borough Council, Wandsworth Borough Council, Warrington Borough Council, Warwickshire County Council, Westmorland and Furness Council, Wiltshire Council, and Windsor and Maidenhead Royal Borough.
Impact on Drivers and Pedestrians
The new rules aim to improve safety for pedestrians, particularly those with visual impairments. However, the LGA notes that some councils may still need to allow limited pavement parking on narrow streets to maintain access for emergency vehicles and waste collection. Drivers are advised to check local regulations to avoid fines.
