Parking On The Pavement
Wednesday, 28. March 2018
Over the years I’ve received the odd complaint about parking on a pavement and receiving a fine as a result, even though it was done so as to avoid blocking the road and only for a few minutes. Even more annoying when there are no other parking restrictions such as single or double yellow lines etc.
The fact is that the law goes back to The Highways Act of 1835 before cars were seen on our streets and as the law currently stands it still specifically refers to the parking of stagecoaches and wagons on pavements. The law is actually quite straightforward when it comes to London, referred to in the Highway Code under section 244 where it categorically states that you MUST NOT park on the pavement anywhere in London so expect a ticket if you are caught by an eagle-eyed warden (or whatever they are called these days) or by a CCTV camera.
The problems for drivers start outside of London where the Highway Code is less clear. Rule 244 says that outside of London you ‘should not’ park on the pavement which leaves the local authority the ability to set its own rules and decide whether to fine or not to fine.
This doesn’t mean that the local council can avoid parking restriction signs. Quite the contrary, they have to be very clear because the law isn’t! It would seem that most local authorities take a fairly relaxed view as long as your parking doesn’t obstruct the infirmed, the blind, the wheelchair user and anyone else who legitimately views the pavement as being there for footfall only.
Some tougher local authorities have not only put up warning signs, stopping cars from parking on pavements, they have also extended into cycle lanes so parking in a cycle lane could also generate a fine. You are able to drive across a pavement in order to access a property and to park where the road signs say you can but in all other circumstances, you could be facing a fine if caught parking on the pavement – as always you’ve been warned! By Graham Hill
