Welsh pavement parking: task force group report

Organisation: Welsh Assembly Government/Road Safety Wales
Date uploaded: 28th October 2020
Date published/launched: October 2020

The Pavement Parking Task Force has concluded that pavement parking is a serious problem across Wales and that the Government should take steps to deal with it as a matter of urgency, particularly in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

This report says pavement parking causes real harm to people walking as well as adding to the cost burden of local authorities. It also undermines important elements of national policy and legislation.

It also says other parts of the UK are making or planning changes to the enforcement regime to tackle the issue and Wales should begin this process.

The report says parking on pavements should be tackled by changing driver behaviour through raising awareness that pavements are for pedestrians and not for vehicles, backed-up by the deterrent of effective enforcement.

The Task Force has agreed aseries of recommendations to achieve this aim, including:

1: The Senedd should pass subordinate legislation to add the existing offence under Regulation 103 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, in so far as it applies to footways, to the list of enforceable contraventions to enable local authorities to carry out civil enforcement of pavement parking.

2: Local authorities should indicate those locations where pavement parking is permitted through Traffic Regulation Orders.

3: Welsh Government should undertake a review of the relevant legislation to identify how the Traffic Regulation Order process in Wales can be simplified.

4: Welsh Government should amend its existing Statutory and Operational guidance on Civil Parking Enforcement to advise local authorities how to operate their new powers of enforcement.

5: Welsh Government should work with the Department for Transport to amend the Highway Code to inform road users that parking on the pavement in Wales is subject to civil enforcement.

6: Welsh Government should design and conduct an effective communications and promotion strategy, in conjunction with local authorities, to inform the public that the enforcement of pavement parking is changing and to promote driver compliance.

7: Welsh Government should establish a monitoring and evaluation framework so that an assessment can be made of the impact and effectiveness of the new enforcement regime.

External links:

Access the report via the Welsh Assembly Government website