The following question was submitted by Greg Roger Black and answered by Councillor Mark Coker:

Question:

Parking on the pavement is an issue all over the city, some streets being too narrow and some households having more than one car. This blocks wheelchairs from using the pavement and residents with prams have to walk in the road. How does the Leader intend to tackle this issue?

Answer:

Plymouth City Council acknowledges that pavement parking can be inconsiderate and sometimes dangerous for pedestrians, especially persons with wheel chairs, mobility impairments, prams and push chairs. We have actively supported calls to review this area, supporting the work from the national Living Streets and Guide Dogs Association seeking change.

Additionally, vehicles damage pavements with many simply not designed to accommodate vehicles. This places greater maintenance demands upon Councils in already financially challenging times.

Pavement parking, outside of London (where London are afforded greater powers to manage this issue), has previously been discussed at Parliament, with Councils seeking changes to legislation, changes to provide more effective powers to tackle this issue and be more consistent with the legislation that applies in London.

Most recently the Department for Transport held a nationwide consultation on proposals to change such legislation; the consultation closed in November 2020. Plymouth City Council expressed our support for proposals for change and for Councils to be granted more effective powers to tackle this issue.

The Department for Transport are currently progressing the Pavement Parking Bill 2020, through the House of Lords, which proposes that the act of parking on a pavement be an offense under The Road Traffic Act 1988. Like many other Authorities, and those people impacted by inconsiderate and dangerous pavement parking, we await with eagerness of any positive developments from the Department for Transport.

In the meantime, whilst legislative changes are debated, Plymouth City Council remains committed to supporting where the law permits us to do so. This includes liaising with our police colleagues, where obstruction remains a criminal offence, required to be enforced by the Police.

We recognise that our ability to tackle this behaviour, to drive behaviour change, is very much linked to a positive outcome of this review, with Councils provided more effective powers to take this national issue.