Parking on pavements

[blue2]

Is it an ofence to park on the pavement?

Thanks

[MrBen5]

Hmmm, i have parked on pavements many a time and still do(have to). Not much parking space where i live. I think its only an offence if there are parking restrictions in force. (single yellow, double yellow, etc.)

[Paul22118]

There are several options to this question. Firstly appreciate that the highway is measured from building line to building line. Therefore the footway(s) are part of the highway.
To obstruct the highway is an offence, that is to say if you park or leave a vehicle on the footway, making people walk into the road or pushchairs not able to squeeze through etc., you have obstructed that highway and are therefore guilty of the offence.
Some authorities permit partial parking on the footway for various reasons but this is always covered in a by-law and there will be signs telling motorists what is permitted.

So, if there are no allowable parking rules and you leave a vehicle on the footway you are guilty of an offence. Short answer to your original ? is therefore YES.

[dantheman123]

This is a question I've looked into in the past. It is illegal but its not something councils enforce too stringently. They realise you have to park somwhere.
Police dont enforce this law too harshly either unless theres a specific complaint against your car.
If you are prosecuted because your cars parked on the pavement and there were other cars whos owners were not prosecuted you could argue that your human rights were abused.

[Buenchico]

Police and parking wardens can issue a Penalty Charge Notice if a vehicle is 'parked with one or more wheels on any part of an urban road other than a carriageway (footway parking)'.

The relevant contravention code number, which will be shown on the notice, is 62-1, 62-2 or 62-4 (dependant upon whether 1, 2 or 4 wheels are on the pavement):
http://www.parkwise.org.uk/regulations/pcnCode s.html

Chris

[imd123]

We live at bottom of busy cul de sac and a policeman came round a few years back warning us not to park on pavement. Impossible not to now as we have 4 cars here and it is not safe NOT to park on pavement.

[Cennet]

I dont know where you live blue2, but within the old GLC boundary in London its an offence to park on the pavement even with two wheels

[Grunty]

How sad that pedestrians have to be inconvenienced or even put in danger because others find it convenient to park on the footpath. When I chose my house, one of the important factors was off-street parking. I would not dream of expecting everybody else to provide and maintain a street parking place for me.

[samuel23]

This came up in my area in the summer. We have a fair amount of elderly people that live here, and they all seem to be infirm. Most of them have these electric buggies, zimmer frames or wheelchairs. They complained to the council about the cars parked on the pavements, on the grass verges and even those that people had parked in their own front gardens. The council sent out leaflets telling people that it was illegal to park on the pavement or the grass verges, they were going to send the local council 'street scene' (for that read 'little hitlers that wear uniforms, but were too useless or too psychotic to get into the police force') round to photograph these vehicles and they would be fined the first time and have the vehicle towed away on a seond offence, and that anyone found with a car in their garden that didn't have a drop kerb would be prosecuted. Last week (yes ~ a week before Christmas!!) the council issued some of our neighbours with fines, ( all fines were accompanied by a photo of the offence committed) or court summonses, saying they are prosecuting them for breach of local council by laws.

[samuel23]

Sorry, hadn't finished meant to press preview and pushed submit. The photos included (I kid you not) Two of childrens pushbikes leaning against a wall, one of a wheelchair folded up, that wouldn't get through the mud to someones door and one of a pram that had its handle sticking out from the persons driveway, onto the pavement. The guy that lives at the end of the road is a friend of mine and he has just had a leaflet saying that he can't leave his car in the road as it is an obstruction, yet was refused planning permission to have a drop kerb put in and his wall made into a gate (conservation area, drop kerb was not 'condusive with the character of the area'), yet the council saw fit to stuck some very unsightly concrete bollards 10 feet away from his house, and stuck up a huge illuminated sign about the wonders of the town. This totally sucks and smacks of double standards

[bednobs]

sorry, but how did the council know who to issue fines to for pushbikes, wheelchairs and prams? Just because they might be outside youe house dosent mean they are yours

[Thicko2006]

In Rome it is an offence NOT to park on a pavement or pedestrian crossing

[spineless]

dear samuel23 have you EVER TRIED to go on a pavement whilst in a wheelchair or with a pram. would you suggest that they fly instead. I take it with your attitude to law enforcers you are an inconsiderate bore who thinks that you can do what you want. When heaven forbid if you ever should be in a wheelchair or immobile or have to do anything to put yourself out I hope that many cars are parked blocking your path because only then will you realise just what the law is for.
I hope you dont need the police, pso, because your car was damaged, you were burgled, or hurt in a car accident. the first person to come to your aid will be one of those "little Hitlers" you so despise.
All the best Hope you revise your obnoxious ideas

[chaotica]

I once complained about cars parked on a pavement to be told by the policeman that camt to investigate that the pavement was considered part of the highway! And then he left...So i was still in the dark about how the Law sees it.