Drivers face £70 fines for parking on pavements outside their homes as part of new laws that could be coming into force in the UK.

An ongoing consultation is taking place in England and Wales which would give councils the power to hand fixed penalty notices to drivers who park on pavements, if passed into law. 

Pavement parking is currently illegal in London but not the rest of England and Wales - although driving on pavements IS banned.

Any law change would maximise safety of journeys of disabled and visually impaired pedestrians.

To help, Select Car Leasing have predicted what the new rules might be on pavement parking and found that a pavement parking ban could result in a £70 fine for motorists parking outside their homes.  

Why might the laws change?

Pavement parking laws could change to maximise safety on journeys of disabled and visually impaired people. This law change is in response to large concerns being raised in local communities on pavement parking and how it raises the risk of injury for those walking on pavements. 

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Select Car Leasing spoke to Daryl Tavernor, a digital advertising consultant who has used a wheelchair since he was 8.

“I'm a wheelchair user with a genetic condition called Spinal Muscular Atrophy," he said.

"UK residential estates, especially newly built estates, suffer from bad parking habits. People seem to just dump their cars on the pavement, wheels pointing out and leaving little room for pedestrians to safely pass.

“As a wheelchair user this creates major issues. We can't just slip past a gap or walk around the car in the road. I often have to use the road instead of the pavement due to inconsiderate parking.

“For wheelchair users, it's not just the lack of space on the pavements. It's people parking in front of dropped kerbs too. This creates big problems if I have to use the road to get around a car parked on the pavement only to find another vehicle parked over the dropped kerb, leaving me stuck in the road. I welcome tougher rules to clamp down on inconsiderate parkers which put the lives of vulnerable children and wheelchair users at risk.”

What are the rules likely to be?

Rule 244 of the Highway Code states, “You must not park partially or wholly on the pavement in London, and should not do so elsewhere unless signs permit it.”

If the rest of the UK also follows the same rules as London, which already has a pavement parking ban, then parking on grass verges and ramps linking private property to roads will also be prohibited.

The only exceptions to London pavement parking rules are when signage states it is safe to do so, or for unloading deliveries.

Can I park outside my home?

Select Car Leasing found that it’s likely that it’s up to local authorities to serve pavement parking fines, but if they deem your car an obstruction – whether it’s on the pavement outside your home or not – then you could be handed a £70 fine.

What does this mean for drivers?

“The guidelines are currently quite confusing for motorists,” says Mark Tongue, Director of Select Car Leasing, “A pavement parking ban is 100% needed nationwide – anything that puts pedestrians at an increased risk requires action.

“However, the information given so far is slightly confusing for drivers. At the moment, there’s no clear guidelines for those who park on the pavement due to having no room on their own drive. Most households have more than one car, so it will be interesting to see where motorists are expected to park if not on the pavement outside their homes.

“Clear guidance is required for drivers so they know the correct location to park in order to avoid a fine.”