The Council has a responsibility to keep the roads and footpaths safe to use. A London-wide ban on pavement parking is strictly enforced and applies to all parking on pavements, verges and central reservations, 24 hours a day.
Pavement parking is allowed under certain circumstances and signs and white boxes on the ground show where and how far on the pavement it is permitted to park.
Illegally parked vehicles cost the Council thousands of pounds a year in damage to paving and grass verges, and cause serious problems for blind, disabled and older people.
What action does the Council take against pavement parking?
If there are waiting restrictions (yellow lines) on the highway adjacent to the pavement then a Penalty Charge Notice would be issued, since a vehicle parked in this manner is in contravention of the traffic order. Waiting restrictions cover the highway from centre of highway to back of footpath.
If there are no waiting restrictions on the highway adjacent to the pavement, then the Council will issue a Penalty Charge Notice for illegal footway parking.
Why is pavement parking a problem?
Pavements are constructed and provided for pedestrian use. Vehicles parked on pavements are:
- a hazard to pedestrians causing an obstruction which may result in them having to step off the pavement onto the highway thus putting themselves in danger
- a hazard by restricting the width of the pavement making it difficult for someone with a pushchair or wheelchair to pass safely - again this person may have to step into the highway to avoid the obstruction
- a hazard due to the damage caused by driving on and off the pavement - e.g. broken flags.
Where pavement parking is permitted, markings on the footway will indicate the extent of the area where you can park, and 'pavement parking area starts' and 'pavement parking area ends' signs will be displayed.
FAQ
Can I park on the pavement in roads where the road is narrow and I risk damage to my car by parking on the road?
No, you may only park on the footway where there is a signed exemption from the footway parking ban. In other words the signs (above) will be displayed and there will be markings on the footway indicating where you may park. Ultimately it is up to you, the driver, to find somewhere safe and legal to park your car.
The pavement in my road is quite wide. Can the Council allow footway parking in my road?
The Council can assess your road to see whether it meets the criteria for footway parking. The criteria include:
- that there must be sufficient width of footway remaining to allow a wheelchair or double buggy to pass
- that the construction of the footway is sufficiently strong that the repeated movement of vehicles on and off it will not jeopardise and services that may lie beneath it.
If you would like us to assess your road for footway parking please contact us using the details below.
What happens if I park on the pavement where there are no signs indicating that I can do so?
The Council’s parking enforcement contractor will issue a Penalty Charge Notice (parking ticket) to you for illegal footway parking. To pay a parking ticket visit Parking Payment Online.