I’m almost certain, that if asked most of those residents currently ‘guilty’ of pavement parking would rather not do so and would much prefer to park their vehicles on the road.
However, successive governments have allowed the build standards of our housing developments to be waterdown so much over the years, that developers can almost get away with providing dirt tracks within new developments. All that the highway authority seem to be concerned about these days, is that the visibility splay of any new exit road, is sufficient where it joins a main highway.
Walking, or cycling around my council ward, one of the newest developed areas of Spalding, I don’t get angry at the residents who’ve parked on pavements – unless it’s clearly unnecessary and they’re just being total pillocks. I feel frustrated, angry and more than a little embarrassed to be part of the process that created such poor quality developments.
Given that we are a rural area, we have little or no prospect of ever seeing a comprehensive bus service provided. As such, we councils like ours should be given the powers to plan for housing that accommodate the use of the private car. John Prescott, when Labour’s minister at DCLG, changed planning legislation that squeezed even more cars on to the roads and inevitably, the pavements of the country.
Changing parking standards in new developments to require a maximum level, instead of a minimum level, was a gift to developers and an instant blight on every new housing development in a rural area.
So what we are left with, is poor quality developments where the residents are forced to pavement park, or risk damage to their sole form of transport from a passing delivery truck, van, or even car. Staying completely on the road, could even find themselves upsetting their neighbours, because their car prevents a delivery, or a visitor from accessing the neighbours property. Where residents do pavement park, when it happens on both sides of a residential street, or road, it likely to prevent anything but a standard car to pass, making refuse collections impossible. Need an ambulance, or fire engine urgently? Forget it, they’ll need to walk.
Seeking to punish such people, without consideration of their situation, is not something I would wish to endorse. Selective warnings, with enforcement as a last resort, where pedestrian safety is a real concern, is the only acceptable approach.
Charities urge curbs on pavement parking
Motorists should be banned from parking on pavements to prevent pedestrians having to walk on the road, ministers have been told.
A coalition of charities is calling on the Department for Transport (DfT) to fast-track legislation designed to bar drivers from mounting the kerb.
In a letter to The Times, the groups criticise the government for “stalling” over the issue and say that action is needed to stop cars on congested streets spilling over on to the pavement.
The issue is particularly pressing for parents with prams, the elderly, those with disabilities and people who are blind and partially sighted, they say.
The letter is signed by 20 charities including the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, Living Streets, Age UK, British Cycling, Scope and The Ramblers. An open letter to the prime minister signed by 16,000 members of the public has also been delivered.
Almost three years ago the DfT suggested that a review of the law would be carried out as part of reforms designed to promote more cycling and walking, but it never materialised.
Today’s letter notes that it has been 1,000 days since ministers first proposed to take action. “Cars parked on the pavements force people into the road to face oncoming traffic, which is particularly dangerous for many, including blind and partially sighted people, parents with pushchairs and young children, wheelchair users and others who use mobility aids,” it says.
Xavier Brice, chief executive of Sustrans, the walking and cycling charity, said: “We strongly support a banning of pavement parking. It is particularly dangerous for those who are blind and partially sighted, other less able people and people with push chairs.”
The DfT said: “We recognise the importance of making sure that pavement parking doesn’t put pedestrians at risk, and believe councils are best placed to make decisions about local restrictions.
“Councils already have the powers to ban drivers from parking on pavements and we are considering whether more can be done to make it easier for them to tackle problem areas. It is important to get this right for all pavement users.”
Roger Gambba-Jones 