Can you park on the pavement?
Whether you can park on the pavement depends on where you are in the UK.
It’s illegal to park on the pavement in London. Since 1974, rule 244 of the Highway Code has stated that drivers ‘MUST NOT park partially or wholly on the pavement in London’. This explicitly forbids you from doing so.
Outside of London, pavement parking rules are bit vague. Rule 244 states that you ‘SHOULD NOT do so elsewhere unless signs permit it’. As a general default rule, you shouldn’t park on the pavement unless there’s a clear sign indicating otherwise.
Pavement parking creates difficulties for disabled people, pedestrians and children. If your vehicle is causing ‘unnecessary obstruction of the pavement’, you could be fined.
When is it okay to park on the pavement?
You might be exempt from a pavement parking fine in certain circumstances. For example:
There are signs indicating that pavement parking is allowed (for example, a sign with ‘P’ and a car parked on the pavement).
There are parking bays painted in white to indicate where to park on the pavement.
You’re loading or unloading a vehicle where there’s no other way the delivery or collection could be made. This only applies when there is also no loading ban in place.
What is the fine for parking on the pavement?
Parking, even momentarily, on a grass verge or pavement in the capital could land you a fixed penalty notice and a fine of up to £130. Although the fine could be reduced to £80 or £60 if paid within 14 days.
Is it an offence to park on the pavement outside of London?
Outside of London, it’s not an offence to park on the pavement, so long as doing so doesn’t break any other driving laws.
However, under rule 242 of the Highway Code, police can penalise you if they deem your parking to be dangerous or in any way causing an obstruction of the road. This is true even if legally you can park on the pavement.
Fines for parking offences vary from council to council but are usually around £70.
Is parking on the pavement outside my house allowed?
Unless you live on a private road, the pavement outside your house is part of a public highway, so you don’t have an exclusive right to park there.
If you’re disabled, you should apply to the council to have a dedicated parking bay painted on the road outside your home, rather than parking on the pavement.
How to stop cars from parking on pavements
It might not be strictly against the law outside of London, but let’s face it, pavement parking can be a real nuisance. If you’re fed up with inconsiderate pavement parking outside your house or business, there is something you can do about it.
You could start by collecting evidence and reporting antisocial pavement parking to your local council. You can also use the website FixMyStreet to report general parking issues.
Local councils are responsible for pavement parking issues. They can enact a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) in your area and use measures such as railings, bollards or double yellow lines to prevent parking on the curb.
However, they may not be able to do anything if preventative measures would obstruct other vehicles’ access. This is why many councils assess the situation on a street-by-street basis.
When will the parking on pavement law change?
It’s expected that a total ban will be implemented across the UK in the future. However, for now, residential street parking laws in the UK depend on which country you’re in:
In England
In 2020, the government ran a consultation on ways to solve the pavement parking problem throughout England. Three options were proposed after they received over 15,000 responses to the topic. They were:
Improving the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) process, under which local authorities can already prohibit pavement parking
A legislative change to allow local authorities with civil parking enforcement powers to enforce against ‘unnecessary obstruction of the pavement’
A legislative change to introduce a London-style pavement parking prohibition throughout England
A final decision will be announced after a final review.
In Scotland
Scotland was the first country in the UK to ban pavement parking. In October 2019, the Scottish Parliament passed the Transport (Scotland) Bill that introduced a nationwide ban on pavement parking.
Since 11 December 2023, local authorities were able to enforce the law. If caught parking on the pavement, drivers could be fined £100. This could be reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days.
In Wales
In April 2023, the Welsh Government delayed public consultation on the use of existing legislation to tackle pavement parking. This means there will be no change to the law before the end of 2023, as expected.
Consultation is expected to begin in 2024.
In Northern Ireland
There’s currently no blanket ban for pavement parking in Northern Ireland. However, parking tickets can be issued if you park on pavements in built-up areas, on yellow lines and wherever signs prevent it.
Northern Ireland has announced three options for tackling pavement parking:
Introduce individual bans using the Department’s existing powers.
Introduce an outright ban on pavement parking, possibly with some exceptions.
Introduce powers that would allow the Department’s Traffic Attendants to enforce against vehicles found to be parked on the pavement and causing an obstruction.
FAQs
When does the pavement parking ban start?
Currently, there are no official announcements for the start of a pavement parking ban across the UK. Each of the four home nations are at different stages of consultation and legislation.
Why is parking on the pavement such a bad thing?
Parking on the pavement may seem like you’re freeing up the road, but it can be a nightmare for pedestrians, especially the elderly, disabled wheelchair users and parents with prams and pushchairs.
By obstructing the footpath, you’re putting people in danger, as they may need to step into a busy road to walk around your car.
Pavements are footpaths – they’re not designed to bear the weight of heavy vehicles. The repair and maintenance costs of damaged and cracked pavements puts a massive financial burden on local councils.
Can parking on the pavement damage my car?
The impact of mounting the kerb can have a serious impact on your tyres, causing erosion and uneven wear. Leaving your car half-on and half-off the pavement can also cause uneven tyre pressure and misaligned wheels.
If you want to keep your tyres in good condition, it’s best to avoid mounting the kerb and parking on the pavement whenever you can.
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What our expert says...
“Drivers should always use common sense when parking. Check the road signs and be aware of parking laws in the local area and be considerate of anyone using the pavement.”