- Mar 05, 2023
Is pavement parking causing your visitor’s difficulty accessing your business or property?
Pavement parking can cause serious problems for homeowners, businesses, and pedestrians alike if not effectively managed. Local authorities are on hand to help with disruptive pavement parking in residential areas, and business owners can resolve parking obstructions with the help of a car park management company.
What constitutes parking on the pavement?
Parking on pavements occurs when a vehicle is parked either partially or entirely on a pavement.
Drivers may park on pavements for various reasons. Typically, drivers are looking to park as close to their home, work or destination as possible without blocking access for emergency vehicles or obstructing the flow of traffic.
In many instances, parking on the pavement may be the only option for vehicle owners, and many drivers may follow the lead of others parking on the pavement, which can lead to an increased problem.
Parking on the pavement, however necessary to avoid obstruction of other vehicles, can make it difficult or impossible for pedestrians to safely use the pavements.
What are the risks and challenges of pavement parking?
Pedestrians rely on pavements to be safe and free of obstacles that could force them into the road. The issue of pavement parking particularly affects those with mobility difficulties, those who are blind or visually impaired, and anyone walking with pushchairs, children, guide dogs or using mobility aids.
If you are a business owner parking on pavements can present unique challenges.
If the pavement outside of your property is obstructed it can make it challenging for pedestrians, particularly those with mobility difficulties, to access your property. Parking on the pavement outside of your business can also block your premises from view, making it difficult for new visitors to find your property.
What legal action can be taken to stop pavement parking?
Currently, pavement parking is illegal in London. It is not illegal elsewhere in the UK, but there have been recent strides within the Department for Transport to impose regulations on pavement parking right across the country.
Local authorities have the power to ban pavement parking in their districts, although often they may not have the resources to enforce it.
Parking on pavements can be a complex issue as in many instances it may be the only viable parking option in order to avoid obstructing other vehicle’s access. Due to this, many councils are calling for assessment on a street-by-street basis.
There are some legal measures you can take to help manage the occurrence of payment parking outside or near your property. Local authorities maintain the right to impose a ban on parking issues such as pavement parking. Collecting evidence of the issue and presenting it to your local council can start a local conversation about pavement parking regulations.
Need a helping hand?
At Creative Car Park we’re not able to assist with parking issues on public pavements, but we can help with other car parking management issues facing your property. This includes an effective solution to permanently prevent unauthorised parking on your private car park.
If you would like more information regarding our ANPR parking management system, you can request a free, no-obligation audit of your car park by clicking here.