More than 80% of drivers want the Government to take action to tackle pavement parking in England, but they’re split on how best to approach the problem, new RAC research shows.
The survey sampled the views of 1,709 drivers, finding that 42% are supportive of an outright ban on parking on pavements in England, while 41% instead want to see councils given powers to ban the practice on specific roads more easily than they can today.
When asked what they’d consider to be the most appropriate penalty if any form of ban was introduced in England, 44% of drivers said first-time offenders should be sent a written warning letter, followed by a fine for any future contraventions.
Almost one-in-five (17%) think an immediate fine is appropriate, while a similar 16% believe a written warning followed by a fine and three penalty points for future violations is appropriate.
A further 5% favour an immediate fine and three penalty points, while a fifth (18%) don’t think it should be deemed an offence in the first place.
A pavement parking ban has existed in London since 1974, with offenders fined between £140 and £160 depending on where in the city they park. In Scotland, a ban was introduced in 2025, with drivers facing a £100 penalty, reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days.
Outside Scotland and London, no such general ban exists. Currently, councils in England must consult on and implement separate Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) to ban pavement parking on specific roads – a process the RAC says can be costly and time consuming.
However, the Government is currently considering proposals for tackling pavement parking in England, following a 2020 consultation.
The findings of the survey also suggest the problem of pavement parking is widespread.
Most respondents (66%) say they see vehicles either partially or fully parked on pavements close to where they live. Of these, a third (33%) report seeing vehicles blocking pavements every day, with a further 30% witnessing it happening on most days.
Just 5% of motorists said they never see vehicles blocking pavements.
Of all those motorists who witness vehicles blocking pavements, 44% say they often see pedestrians having to walk into the road as a result, with the same proportion (44%) seeing this happen occasionally. Just 12% of this group say they never see pedestrians having to do this.
Rod Dennis, RAC senior policy officer, said: “There’s no doubting pavement parking is a serious problem in some communities that needs tackling, but it’s still the case that it’s been more than five years since the previous government signalled its intention to tackle the blight in England.
“No pavement user should be forced into walking or wheeling into the road because of someone parking inconsiderately.
“A clear majority of drivers agree and want to see an end to needless pavement parking that causes accessibility problems, but when it comes to the solution, the jury is out.”
Several MPs have been active in raising awareness of the problem. Liberal Democrat MP Helen Maguire is due to hold a Westminster Hall debate about the issue, while Labour MP Marsha De Cordova introduced a Private Members’ Bill to the House of Commons calling for the law around parking on footways and verges to be amended.
> “No pavement user should be forced into walking or wheeling into the road because of someone parking inconsiderately.
As opposed to a pavement user being forced to wheel (or in my personal experience, be the source of power of the wheeling) along a pavement due to poorly designed or defective dropped kerbs?
Or opposed to emergency service vehicles being hindered because someone has decided that they want to park near their house without parking partially on the pavement, but haven’t left sufficient gap for an ambulance or fire engine (or equally large vehicle) to pass through?
David Weston, Newcastle upon Tyne
--1
I would expect a fair proportion of this 80% of drivers who want something done about parking on the footway, park on the footway themselves!
Hugh Jones, South Wirral
+2