Brighton and Hove City Council has welcomed the Government’s decision to give local authorities greater control over restricting pavement parking, which it says will make pavements safer and more accessible for pedestrians, wheelchair users and people with pushchairs.
Currently, introducing pavement parking restrictions is a lengthy legal process that applies only to individual streets.
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Councillor Trevor Muten, cabinet member for transport and city infrastructure, said: “This is very welcome news from the Government and will help us tackle a persistent problem we’ve been wanting to address for some time.
“Parking on pavements causes genuine safety and accessibility problems, blocking access for pedestrians and especially for disabled people and those with mobility issues.
“Over time, it also damages pavements which we then must repair.
“These new powers will give a greater ability to restrict and enforce pavement parking across the city, keeping them clear and safe for everyone.
“We’re awaiting further details and guidance from the Department for Transport about how these new powers can be used effectively and proportionately, but I look forward to working with officers to help create better, clearer and safer pavements for Brighton and Hove.”
The council said it expects to receive further guidance from the Department for Transport later this year.
Councils will still be able to decide where enforcement is most appropriate, allowing them to ‘retain flexibility where they deem pavement parking may still be acceptable’.
Lilian Greenwood, Local Transport Minister, said: “Clear pavements are essential for people to move around safely and independently, whether that’s a parent with a pushchair, someone using a wheelchair, or a blind or partially sighted person.
“That’s why we’re giving local authorities the power to crack down on problem pavement parking, allowing more people to travel easily and safely and get to where they need to go.”
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