Policy Briefing 13: Parking

Policy Briefing 13: Parking PDF (104Kb)

The Transport Select Committee is to hold an inquiry into parking policy this Autumn. In the run-up to this, Living Streets has produced a new Policy Briefing setting out Living Streets' views on parking.

Text of briefing is below, or download a pdf with pictures at the bottom of this page.

Cardiff: Parking on the pavement blocking a zebra crossing

The pictures on this page have been sent in by Anne Greagsby, a Living Streets campaigner in Cardiff, to highlight the problems that inconsiderate parking causes.

Parking - Living Streets Policy Briefing 13

There are nearly 25 million cars on our streets, and around 24 million of them are parked at any one time. It is not surprising that as car ownership has increased, the pressure for parking spaces has also intensified. In many areas, the streets are not wide enough to accommodate all of the drivers who want to park there. Without proper restrictions, drivers can encroach on pedestrian space, causing nuisance and danger.

Recently, more councils have taken over responsibility for parking enforcement from the police. This is called decriminalisation because parking offences become civil rather than criminal. The local authority employs parking attendants, and is able to keep the money from parking fines to spend on local transport improvements. These local authorities are issuing many more parking tickets than the police did previously.

Our policy

Cardiff: Parking over dropped kerbs

We believe that streets should be more than traffic corridors - they are important for the vibrancy, economic health, and safety of neighbourhoods; they can help to improve community cohesion by bringing people of different ages and backgrounds together in a shared space; they are outdoor gyms which people can use to get fit through walking and cycling; and they are potential playgrounds for all children but especially those who do not live close to parks and playing fields.

However, many streets are choked with parked cars, restricting their use. Living Streets supports strong parking regulations, and their strict enforcement, for four main reasons:

1. Accessibility for pedestrians
Cars parked on pavements often mean that pedestrians have to squeeze past, or make detours into the carriageway. This is a particular problem for people in wheelchairs, pushing buggies, or with young children. Vehicles parked at junction corners, or across pedestrian crossings, also restrict accessibility.

2. Encouragement of active travel
One in five journeys under one mile, and over half of journeys between one and two miles in length are undertaken in a car or van - many of these could be walked. Restrictions on the availability of parking, together with improved walking routes, can help to encourage people to consider more active methods of travel - to the benefit of the local environment as well as personal health.

3. Reduction in street clutter
Ineffective enforcement of parking restrictions can lead to more street clutter in the form of railings and bollards. In fact, government guidance even suggests increasing clutter to control parking! Guard-railing spoils the look of many of our streets, as well as making it more difficult to cross the road.

4. Road safety for pedestrians
Although not as important as speed, parking enforcement can make conditions safer for pedestrians - particularly where there are large numbers of vulnerable pedestrians, such as outside schools, shops and hospitals.

Cardiff: Parking at a bus stop

We are calling for:

- All pavement parking to be banned, except in very specific designated zones. This would bring the rest of the country into line with London.
- All local authorities to take on the powers of parking enforcement from the police, and to enforce parking regulations strictly.
- New housing and workplace developments to have fewer parking spaces, better walking routes, and shops and services within walking distance.

Government policy

In London, parking on pavements is banned except in specifically designated areas, which must be clearly marked. The Government has no plans to extend this ban to the rest of the country.

The Government is encouraging local authorities to apply to take over parking responsibilities from the police. Councils have been responsible for parking in London since 1996. However, there are many parts of the country where this has not yet happened. 135 local authorities have successfully applied so far.

The Government encourages local authorities to reduce the provision of parking on new developments. Its Planning Policy Guidance 13 (Transport) states, reducing the amount of parking in new development is essential...to promote sustainable travel choices (para 49).

What you can do

Find out who is responsible for parking enforcement in your local area - the council or police. If it is still the police, contact your council to ask why it has not applied to take over parking enforcement.

Whichever is responsible, ask about its policies for stopping pavement parking. Lobby for the introduction of special restricted zones where pavement parking is banned.

Contact your local MP and ask him/her to support a nationwide ban on pavement parking. Living Streets can give you more details.

Write to your local paper with examples of where pavement parking is causing a hazard to pedestrians - contact local pensioner and disabled groups to ask for their support.

Set up a local branch of Living Streets, or if you are a member of a community organisation, suggest that they affiliate.

Fact Stats

1. Over a period of 35 years in Copenhagen, parking spaces were reduced by 2-3% a year in order to free up public spaces from car parking, for other uses. The result has been a four-fold increase in public life since the 1960s.

2. A 2004 ALG Survey of Londoners found that 67% thought that action against illegal parking should stay the same or increase. A MORI Liveability survey found that road and pavement repairs was the 3rd biggest issue that people reported as needing improvement in their local area, and low levels of traffic congestion was the 7th.

3. Parking consumes a land area of 590 kilometres - twice the size of Birmingham.

For further information
Contact Living Streets' hotline (020 7820 1010) or visit our website www.livingstreets.org.uk