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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think pavement parking should be banned

356 replies

HoustonBess · 08/04/2019 19:17

There's a government inquiry into pavement parking, you can submit comments here

www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/transport-committee/inquiries/parliament-2017/pavement-parking-17-19/

I absolutely hate pavement parking - it's someone thinking their car not being scratched is more important than me and DD's lives. I live in an area of terraced streets and especially on bin days, you basically can't go out with a pram because it's so bad.

Anyone else want to comment for the inquiry? Maybe mumsnet could submit something on behalf of lots of people?

OP posts:
Parker231 · 09/04/2019 13:26

Most people who park on the kerb and don’t leave sufficient room for a wheelchair or buggy are lazy. If there isn’t room to park there then you park somewhere else and walk! If that means you can’t park outside your house or even on the same road, hard luck!

Parker231 · 09/04/2019 13:29

Biancadelrioisback - yes they will have to park further away and walk. Cars don’t have priority over pavement use when inconsiderate parking means wheelchair users having to go into the road to get passed (might end up stretching the car!)

ivykaty44 · 09/04/2019 13:49

Blind people walking on the road around cars parked on the pavement is ridiculous apart from deathly dangerous

If you park on the pavement do you really think this is ok?

GregoryPeckingDuck · 09/04/2019 13:52

YABU. It’s sotuational. In some areas the roads are borrow but the pavements are wide enough for it. Sometimes it about allowing access for both pedestrians and vehicles without compromising on parking (I’m going to use the example of access to ambulances in a life or death situation to becas melodramatic as you).

TwoBlueFish · 09/04/2019 13:55

The people who park 2 wheels on the pavement but leave enough room for pedestrians/buggies aren’t so much the issue near me. It’s more the transit vans and tradespeople who park fully on the pavement, completely blocking the footpath. When challenged they often won’t move and say that they don’t want their vans scratched.

Ultimately pavements are for people, not cars. This needs to be tackled with better (and more affordable) public transport, fines for not leaving enough space, changes to planning to allow wider roads and pavements.

LittleChristmasMouse · 09/04/2019 14:12

In our borough flats and houses are being thrown up at an alarming rate - without any parking allocated because the council is on some eco drive. Great idea apart from the fact that most people have cars so where do they go? Onto the already full streets to just increase the pressure on existing parking. It is mad.

Our local hospital has very limited parking. Great if you can get the bus there - not so great if you can't. Gp surgery is a 10 min drive or 2 buses, nearest shop is 10 mins by car or 1 bus. Nearest town with post office and bank is 2 buses plus a 10 min walk or 10 min drive by car.

How do you propose people with restricted mobility manage without a car? And if they have a car then they need to park. Yes, park thoughtfully but if you ban parking you are seriously restricting the independence of lots of people, including the elderly.

Planning needs to consider the needs of everyone - of course not just car owners but also not just pram owners, or wheelchair users.

chillpizza · 09/04/2019 14:20

Need to designate one on road space per house, all roads to be permit parking only with X number of visitor spaces/delivery spaces. Cars exceeding can pay to privately park in car parks, all works vehicles should be stored at the companies expense not on residential streets.

chillpizza · 09/04/2019 14:22

Oh and stop the stupid hoop jumping for drop curbs so people who have the space can convert front gardens into driveways as they could possibly hold more than one car and help solve the issue to even if by letting the space out tax free.

LittleChristmasMouse · 09/04/2019 14:24

chillpizza

So how does this work in houses with say 3 adults, all need cars for work? Or HMOs all with cars needed for work? Where are all of these car parks where the extra cars plus company vans can be parked?

We do need lots of off street parking to be provided - accessible, local, easy for people with limited mobility, heavy shopping etc to get to from home. I won't hold my breath.

Parker231 · 09/04/2019 14:26

@LittleChristmasMouse - pavement access should always be prioritised for wheelchair users as they often have no alternative. In central London you see car parking spaces outside a house marked for a blue badge holder so they can park safely and access their house and car.

Other car users can walk and park elsewhere. Might take them longer and inconvenience them but at least they have a choice.

MikeyMinnieMou · 09/04/2019 14:27

I would agree that it should be banned

YesQueen · 09/04/2019 14:28

I live on a street built 10 years ago. If people don't park on the pavement then ambulances can't fit down AngrySad which is annoying

Parker231 · 09/04/2019 14:31

@YesQueen - they shouldn’t be parking on the pavement unless there is room for wheelchair users and access for vehicles to use the road. Park elsewhere and walk. They will have to if parking on pavements becomes illegal.

JacquesHammer · 09/04/2019 14:32

I remain hopeful that if pavement parking becomes illegal I can force the council to either designate the small area outside my house properly or take it back Grin

LittleChristmasMouse · 09/04/2019 14:33

Parker231

Not everyone that has mobility issues has a blue badge. Not everyone with mobility issues is in a wheelchair and in most busy areas there isn't parking just a short walk away.

All of the roads here are nose to tail parking both sides of the road. Literally all surrounding streets. I can't even think where the nearest place to park would be.

Lets imagine that we stop pavement parking. What provision will you put in place for those who cannot manage without a car?

CocoCharlie83 · 09/04/2019 14:33

Oh and stop the stupid hoop jumping for drop curbs so people who have the space can convert front gardens into driveways as they could possibly hold more than one car and help solve the issue to even if by letting the space out tax free.

You can't just give everyone a dropped kerb if they have space in there garden, there are a number of design and safety issues which need to be considered

chillpizza · 09/04/2019 14:35

You make the choice to own so many cars and live somewhere with no off road parking. None of you can car share? No public transport at all?

It’s become far to cheap and easy to just buy an extra car park it where ever you want and fuck anyone else, unless you live out in rural areas or work stupid hours such as 2am finish or start you don’t NEED a car you WANT a car obviously disabled people should be exempt.

HMOs shouldn’t be allowed where 1 space per room cannot be given, in fact I don’t agree with turning 4/5 bed family homes into hmos anyway it just stops people being able to move up a side. Locally all 4/5beds within a certain area are hmos while you have families of 8+ stuck in 3beds.

YesQueen · 09/04/2019 14:35

@Parker231 we don't have surrounding streets. It's really badly designed - the whole area is new build so all the streets are the same
Mix of flats (with parking spaces) and houses but people won't/don't use their garage so only have enough parking for a car per house

MotherWol · 09/04/2019 14:36

YANBU, it's a nightmare for people with mobility problems, visually impaired people, buggies etc. If you've chosen to live in a terraced house in a place where parking's a nightmare, then get two or more cars, that shouldn't mean that wheelchair users should have to go in the road. Fundamentally, we have to decide what's our priority - is it people-friendly streets, or is it the right of car owners to store their property for free on public roads?

YesQueen · 09/04/2019 14:37

Photo example. This is during the day so it's fairly quiet

To think pavement parking should be banned
Parker231 · 09/04/2019 14:40

For those who are making excuses for poor and inconsistent parking, what is your answer to wheelchair users?

chillpizza · 09/04/2019 14:41

They must all be night workers or disabled to have those cars parked during the day Wink

adaline · 09/04/2019 14:41

Park elsewhere and walk.

Again, what if "elsewhere" doesn't exist? In a lot of towns it's not a case of not wanting to park in the next road, it's a case of every single street is the same. So, again, where do you want people to go? @Parker231

chillpizza · 09/04/2019 14:42

Rent spaces from local companies that have private car parks, rent spaces in supermarket car parks that are not needed 24/7, rent empty spaces on driveways. Petition more actual parking spaces.

LittleChristmasMouse · 09/04/2019 14:43

chillpizza
I've lived in my house for 25 years. When we moved here the parking was easy and plentiful. All of our neighbours were old. Most didn't have cars, if they did it was only 1. Sadly, as they have died younger families have bough the houses and now the number of cars has increased so that many households own 2 or 3. Plus some houses have been bought by landlords and rented to un related people. I have zero control over any of that.

I didn't buy a house in a place with parking issues, they have evolved over 25 years and I have no control over HMOs or how many cars my neighbours have.

There is public transport but too far for me to walk to either at this end or at the destination so yes, sorry, I do need a car or I am effectively housebound and dependent on others to get shopping or take me to the bank, drs, hospital appointments etc.

Are you volunteering to do it seeing as you are so keen to force me to give up my car?