Pavement parking should be scrapped or net zero drive will fail, charity warns

Pavement parking should be banned or the net zero strategy will fail, a charity has warned.

Sustainable transport charity Sustrans said the practice was “discriminatory” and warned that goals to get more people to walk and cycle would be “impossible” to reach unless pavement parking was outlawed.

Disabled people find their routes blocked and struggle to get around their local areas because of cars parked on the pavement, the charity said.

Some 56 per cent of disabled respondents to its poll of 23,000 people said they feel welcome when walking or using a wheelchair or mobility scooter - known as wheeling - in their local area, compared with 69 per cent of non-disabled people.

The survey also suggested that just over half of residents on low incomes feel welcome, compared with three-quarters of those in managerial or professional roles.

Fewer cars on pavements would help 70 per cent of people walk or wheel more, according to the survey, which was shared with the PA news agency.

Government mulls pavement parking ban beyond London

Pavement parking is already banned in London and the Government is considering extending this across England, with a consultation launched in 2020 due to report its findings soon.

A ban in Scotland is expected to be introduced by the Holyrood administration next year.

People walk or wheel more frequently than they use other forms of urban transport, the poll indicated.

Half of respondents walk or wheel at least five days a week, compared with 39 per cent for car use, 11 per cent for public transport and 5 per cent for cycling.

Just over half of people want to see more investment on walking and wheeling compared with just under a third who said more money was needed for driving.

The UK Government’s spending commitments for England are £27 billion for roads but just £2 billion on cycling and walking, according to Sustrans.

‘Pavement parking is discriminatory’

Xavier Brice, the charity’s chief executive, said: “The evidence is clear that people wish to feel safe and welcome while walking and wheeling, and without parked vehicles getting in their way.

“Pavement parking is discriminatory against wheelchair and mobility scooter users, other disabled people, those with visual impairments and more.

“The UK Government’s target is for half of all journeys in towns and cities to be cycled or walked by 2030.

“Achieving this will be impossible unless we do more to make walking and wheeling more accessible and inclusive.

“A vital first step is to ban pavement parking.”

A spokesman for the Department for Transport said: “We want everyone to be able to enjoy the benefits of cycling and walking and our plans are supported by an unprecedented £2 billion package of funding for active travel over five years.

“We are actively considering the options for addressing pavement parking and we will announce next steps as soon as possible.”