Should the UK ban parking on pavements?

[Still Waters]

Parking on the pavement has been dividing opinion in the UK for more than 40 years. Now, new legislation threatens to reignite the debate.

The Scottish government is planning the complete "prohibition" of pavement parking while, earlier this year, the Department for Transport admitted it was considering changing the law for the remainder of the country.

So, why are some people so against it? And why do some organisations continue to defend it?

What are the current rules?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44466813

[oldrover]

You couldn't get two cars past each other on many of the roads here if people parked on the road, as long as you leave enough room for kids to cycle, people (kids aren't people) to walk, push prams and use wheelchairs/mobiility scooters what's the bloody point of faffing about it?

[stevewinn]

I always thought in the highway code it stated a parked car had to have all four wheels on the road and not half on the side. i can remember my next door neighbour having a issue claiming on his car insurance because he was half on the pavement when damaged happened. So i thought it was against the law but just couldn't be policed.

[acute]

It's not actually illegal to park on the pavement, but it is illegal to drive on the pavement. So, if you drop your car there by helicopter, you should be ok!

Crazy rules or what?

[oldrover]

Thing is, most of our residentual roads are over 100 years old at least. When they were laid out for cars those cars were tiny, now they're huge. Look at the size increase in an average car model you'd see on our roads in the last couple of decades.There's not the room here. 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=vw+golf+size+increase&client=tablet-android-samsung&prmd=ivsn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjW1KyipNHbAhUBElAKHTaODxgQ_AUIESgB&biw=1280&bih=800#imgrc=6VzCielIW3OY7M:

[Essan]

Aye, that's a point I often make.  Compared with the 70s, cars (in the UK) are huge!   No wonder parking and congestion is an issue.

Mini v Mini ....

Our roads and parking were designed for the car on the left.   The car on the right is one of the smallest on the roads today, many of which are (literally) the size of a WW2 tank

Edited June 13, 2018 by Essan

[oldrover]

11 minutes ago, Essan said:

Aye, that's a point I often make.  Compared with the 70s, cars (in the UK) are huge!   No wonder parking and congestion is an issue.

Mini v Mini ....

Our roads and parking were designed for the car on the left.   The car on the right is one of the smallest on the roads today, many of which are (literally) the size of a WW2 tank

Exactly. It's pretty mad. First time I parked my old Rover, which was a huge thing in its day, next to an average modern car I was amazed to see they were the same size. Add to that the tendency these days to buy four wheel drives. 

[Grey Area]

3 hours ago, oldrover said:

Exactly. It's pretty mad. First time I parked my old Rover, which was a huge thing in its day, next to an average modern car I was amazed to see they were the same size. Add to that the tendency these days to buy four wheel drives. 

Tell me about it, my brother in law got an Audi Q5 (I think that was the model) a while back.  At the time I was looking for a decent car, he was raving about it, so big and comfortable.

When I saw it I had a good look around and when I opened the boot I just laughed and wondered what exactly they had done with all the room.

Decided to save some money bought a new Honda Jazz, lovely car compact yet spacious if a little basic.

pretty much everyone I know has an SUV or crossover nowadays and we wonder why it takes 45 minutes to get to work when I can walk it in 25 minutes.

As for parking on pavements, as long as you’re not putting pedestrians at a disadvantage, I don’t see a need to legislate.  

Though I have to say, I have a school at the top of my road and those as****es couldn’t give a monkeys, they have destroyed the grass Verges, the park 2 abreast on the pavements, and 100 yards away is a huge pub car park rarely used, lazy b******s.  It would be worth passing the law just to watch the carnage in the mornings.

[oldrover]

Totally agree there Grey Area. A bit if sense and consideration and there wouldn't be a problem. 

On the subject of size though, some of these things today are huge. I saw a Volvo thing in the Co-op car park the other day and it was vast. Can't wait to meet one of those things in a country lane. 

[Susanc241]

Where I live, cars on the pavement (sidewalk for our US friends) usually means having to step out into the road to get round them.  Why should I squeeze myself between the car and the hedge, wall or whatever?  The blind must find it a nightmare.  And whilst on the subject of bigger cars, my house is 18 years old and we have never been able to fit any of our cars in the garage.  One would fit in, just, but you couldn't open a door to get out.  We have only ever had medium sized cars.

Edited June 14, 2018 by Susanc241
To correct grammar

[oldrover]

3 hours ago, Susanc241 said:

Where I live, cars on the pavement (sidewalk for our US friends) usually means having to step out into the road to get round them.  Why should I squeeze myself between the car and the hedge, wall or whatever?  The blind must find it a nightmare.  And whilst on the subject of bigger cars, my house is 18 years old and we have never been able to fit any of our cars in the garage.  One would fit in, just, but you couldn't open a door to get out.  We have only ever had medium sized cars.

You shouldn't have to squeeze past parked cars, not at all, and in those circumstances it's not acceptable to park on the pavements. But, where like here, the pavement is wide and the main road through the village just isn't, I think it's OK. But as I said before provided all those whoneed to use the pavement aren't hindered. 

On the subject of garages, there are plenty round here but to me they look tiny, yet people mananage to get small cars in and out, as I say though to me they don't look big enough. I've lived here 15 years and have seen plenty drive in/out, but have never actually seen anyone get in or out of their cars while inside them. I want to know their secret, I've thought of sitting, waiting, and watching, but I'd be afraid that might send out the wrong signals.

[Stiff]

There were also some pretty big cars that were a common sight back then too. Mk3/4 Zephyrs, Mk1/2 Granadas, Vauxhall Ventora/Victors/VX

 not to mention the Jags and BMW's. But yeah, all in all cars have got bigger. My 2 seater Audi I have now is bigger (longer and wider) than my first 4 door car!

The main issue though is not the size of the cars but the sheer quantity. Growing up in the 70's where we lived, you were lucky if you actually knew a family with 1 car let alone had one yourself. Nowadays, it's 2, 3 or even 4 cars to a house. 

[aztek]

here i get a ticket if i park on the sidewalk, it is illegal basically everywhere in nyc. but we have much wider roads so we park there.

[L.A.T.1961]

I think it depends on the circumstances, if stopping on the pavement is the only option, when parking outside your own property, then it should be allowed. The problem with this rule change is it only creates more problems elsewhere.

What should be looked at first is using one lane for parking and introduce a one way system. Once there is more local parking available for local residents then the law could be changed if still necessary.

Unfortunately in the UK there seems to be a desire to sweat as many public assets as possible, often in the name of safety.

So now we have speed cameras on the motorway network, and army's of diligent traffic wardens.     

[oldrover]

5 hours ago, Stiff said:

There were also some pretty big cars that were a common sight back then too. Mk3/4 Zephyrs, Mk1/2 Granadas, Vauxhall Ventora/Victors/VX

 not to mention the Jags and BMW's. But yeah, all in all cars have got bigger. My 2 seater Audi I have now is bigger (longer and wider) than my first 4 door car!

The main issue though is not the size of the cars but the sheer quantity. Growing up in the 70's where we lived, you were lucky if you actually knew a family with 1 car let alone had one yourself. Nowadays, it's 2, 3 or even 4 cars to a house. 

Volume is a huge issue in congestion etc, I'd completely agree with that. But as regards the size question, the cars you list above were big back then, but check their sizes agaibst a modern Golf. Somethimg has gobe wonky somewhere. 

[oldrover]

2 hours ago, L.A.T.1961 said:

I think it depends on the circumstances, if stopping on the pavement is the only option, when parking outside your own property, then it should be allowed. The problem with this rule change is it only creates more problems elsewhere.

What should be looked at first is using one lane for parking and introduce a one way system. Once there is more local parking available for local residents then the law could be changed if still necessary.

Unfortunately in the UK there seems to be a desire to sweat as many public assets as possible, often in the name of safety.

So now we have speed cameras on the motorway network, and army's of diligent traffic wardens.     

Wehave a van with a camera that paroks constantly, instead of traffjc wardens. But I can't agree that one way systems would be an answer. 

[Still Waters]

My late in-laws used to live in a cul-de-sac with just a few houses on one side of a narrow road, it was just wide enough for a bin lorry. When we went to visit them we parked half on the pavement outside their house, we always left enough room at the side of the car for anyone to walk past, not that there were many folk there it was a very small community and everyone knew everyone else.

This one particular day their neighbour went to pay another neighbour a visit. We later found out that she'd lost her footing and taken a tumble while trying to get past our car, thankfully she wasn't hurt but we felt terrible when we heard.

This had never happened before in all the years we used to park there. The whole thing was very unfortunate but it does show the drawbacks of pavement parking and why some want the law changed.

[Mr.United_Nations]

On 13/06/2018 at 7:39 PM, oldrover said:

Thing is, most of our residentual roads are over 100 years old at least. When they were laid out for cars those cars were tiny, now they're huge. Look at the size increase in an average car model you'd see on our roads in the last couple of decades.There's not the room here. 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=vw+golf+size+increase&client=tablet-android-samsung&prmd=ivsn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjW1KyipNHbAhUBElAKHTaODxgQ_AUIESgB&biw=1280&bih=800#imgrc=6VzCielIW3OY7M:

Some parts of the a259 are older than 100 years, built on old Roman roads

[Crabby Kitten]

On 13/06/2018 at 3:32 PM, Still Waters said:

Parking on the pavement has been dividing opinion in the UK for more than 40 years. Now, new legislation threatens to reignite the debate.

The Scottish government is planning the complete "prohibition" of pavement parking while, earlier this year, the Department for Transport admitted it was considering changing the law for the remainder of the country.

So, why are some people so against it? And why do some organisations continue to defend it?

What are the current rules?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44466813

Parking on pavements causes obstruction and forces pedestrians to walk out into the road. I've had to go around cars that are on pavements, with a pushchair, entering dangerous road. This isn't right and not fair, it's dangerous and puts people at risk. Pavements are for walking on, and not for cars to sit on.

[Dark_Grey]

On 6/18/2018 at 4:18 PM, Mr.United_Nations said:

Some parts of the a259 are older than 100 years, built on old Roman roads

That's cool. I love the rich history of the UK