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Consultation

Pavement Parking: our big chance to get this scourge stopped!

The deadline for responses to the consultation on pavement parking in England is fast approaching. (11.59pm, Sunday 22 November 2020).

COMPLETE THE CONSULTATION HERE

Please do send in your comments to support for a ban on vehicles parking on footways, as we won’t get anther chance any time soon.

Scotland has a ban. London has a ban – why not the rest of England?

Walk Ride GM supports a full London-style default ban* (with exceptions made where unavoidable), as do all the walking and cycling groups such as Living Streets, and groups which represent disabled people such as Guide Dogs UK and Disabled Motoring UK.

(*in the consultation this is called ‘Option 3’).

Living Streets are running a petition you can also sign to add further weight, (or if you are too pushed for time to complete the survey (although it genuinely only takes a few minutes and is one of the better ones).)

Tips for completing the survey, based on Living Streets guide, are below:

 

Question 3-5

This is your chance to describe the difficulties pavement parking presents to you personally or those around you.

 

Question 6

There are three options.

If you would like a true ban, select Option 3 (Option 3 = “England-wide pavement parking prohibition”).

 

Questions 7-9 – these ask for your thoughts on Option 2

(Option 2 = “allow authorities to enforce against ‘unnecessary obstructions'”)​

It is important to highlight how this option simply means new rules will remain as confusing as they already are. ie How do we know what is and isn’t “unnecessary”?

And it also puts the onus on cash-strapped local authorities to police it on a case-by-case basis – which means things are very unlikely to change.

(Note: option 3 still includes provision for exceptions in streets where a ban would be unworkable, & short stays for commercial deliveries if unavoidable).

Questions 10-13 – ask for your thoughts on Option 3 (“England-wide pavement parking prohibition”)

Stress the need for this to apply on all roads and in all areas where it might impede on pedestrian space.

This is a matter of safety, of making streets accessible for all, and helping more people be more active more easily.

A default ban sends a clearer message, and exemptions should only be made where absolutely necessary.

 


Meanwhile we continue to see daily, hourly, examples across Greater Manchester of inconsiderate parking or even driving on pavements (see below); ruining streets for people on foot, buggy, wheelchair and bike – and without a ban, councils have to resort to measures which often make the pavements even more unusable, such as here in Levenshulme.

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