Parking on the pavement is not allowed unless there is an exemption from the parking regulations.
At the same time, pedestrians must be protected, so where exemptions are granted, there must be good enough access for pedestrians without them being forced into the road.
There are certain criteria which have to be met before a street is granted exemption.
Criteria for exemption
- Exemption to be granted only where parking of vehicles wholly within the carriageway reduces the carriageway width to less than three metres
- A minimum footway width of 1.2 metres be available for pedestrians.
- Roads in shopping and other busy pedestrian areas not to be considered.
- Roads outside schools, play areas, libraries, hospitals, health centres and residential homes for the elderly and other places of public assembly, not to be considered.
- Any road, were it to be exempted, vehicles would park on a grass verge not to be considered.
- No vehicle be allowed to park where it would obstruct the proper use, by all classes of vehicles, of the turning area provided at the end of a cul-de-sac or similar blocked highway.
- Motor cycles be permitted to park on footways where footway parking exemption has been granted.
- Exemption not to be granted where residents can provide off-street parking but have chosen not to do so, or do not use existing off-street parking places for a variety of reasons not considered acceptable on highway, traffic or amenity grounds.
- Where a street does not meet the above criteria for exemption and where any enforcement action would create a situation where access for emergency vehicles is obstructed and/or the capacity of the highway is reduced below its functioning level, special consideration will be given according to the particular circumstances, and the criteria relaxed as necessary.
Disclaimer
The streets where footway parking is permitted on a permanent basis either fully (with four wheels) or partially (with two wheels) on the pavement are formalised with parking bay markings and appropriate parking signs.
It is the responsibility of the motorists to park in the marked bays only. Failure to do so may result in the issuing of a penalty charge notice (PCN)
The streets where footway parking is permitted on a temporary basis either fully (with four wheels) or partially (with two wheels) on the pavement motorists are advised to leave a minimum of 1.2 metres clear space for pedestrians on the footway.
Any obstruction reported will result in the issuing of a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN)