Is it illegal to park on the pavement?

The issue of pavement parking has long been a hot topic, for pedestrians and motorists alike. As it stands, unless you are living in the Greater London area, there is no overriding law that bans it completely – although the government has consulted on whether to change this.

Is it illegal to park on the pavement?

London

It is illegal to park on the pavement in Greater London. That goes for putting a couple of wheels up over the kerb as well as parking fully on the pavement.

There are exceptions to the rule, in which case you should see a sign telling you that pavement parking is permitted. These signs will be obvious, and you may also see bays painted on parts of the pavement to indicate how much of your car you should place on it.

Outside of London

Edinburgh and Glasgow have recently introduced pavement parking bans. In the rest of the country, the rules aren’t so clear cut.

It’s worth knowing a quirk of the Highway Code before we go any further: rules in the Code that say you ‘must’ do or not do something are backed up by legislation, meaning you will be breaking the law if you do not comply.

Rules that say you ‘should’ do or not do something are advisory, meaning while it is good practice to obey the Code, there is no law reinforcing this advice.

When it comes to parking on the pavement outside of London, the Highway Code states you ‘should not’ park on the pavement, meaning while it’s not encouraged, you are not prohibited from doing so by default.

The waters are muddied further, however, by another rule in the Highway Code that says you ‘must not’ leave your car in ‘a dangerous position’, or where it creates an unnecessary obstruction to the road. This could, depending on how you have parked and how the rule is interpreted, see you given a ticket.

So, there’s no blanket rule against pavement parking, but if you leave your car parked dangerously on the pavement you could still be in trouble.

When is it okay to park on the pavement?

In law, it’s okay to park on the pavement outside of Greater London so long as you are not causing a dangerous obstruction. Within London, you can only park on the pavement where there are signs stating clearly that you may do so.

There’s what is acceptable in law, and then there’s what is considerate and reasonable. If you park on the pavement outside of London you are unlikely to be fined unless you are causing a dangerous hazard. But are you making life hard for pedestrians, people pushing buggies, and wheelchair users? Even in situations when pavement parking may not result in a fine it’s better to look for alternatives, or to make sure that there’s still enough room for pedestrians to use the pavement without inconvenience.

What is the fine for parking on the pavement?

The fine for pavement parking could be up to £130 in London. Pay up within 14 days and the fine is halved, so it’s worth paying promptly if you are caught bang to rights.

Elsewhere in the country, you may well be able to park on the pavement without being fined, unless it is deemed that you have parked in a dangerous position. If your parking is dangerous the fine is likely to be between £50 and £130, but could be up to £1,000 with penalty points on your licence.

While on some residential roads it is impossible to park without a set of wheels on the pavement, you should always consider how people will make their way down the footpath, bearing in mind that people may be using wheelchairs or pushing baby buggies that need more space than the average pedestrian.

It is your right to appeal any fine, and it will have more merit when you have shown due consideration for other road users.

How to report a car parked on the pavement

You can report a car that’s parked on the pavement to your local council. Search online for the local authority’s parking enforcement department.

Remember, outside of London, Edinburgh, and Glasgow, parking on the pavement is not an offence unless it causes a dangerous obstruction.

If the parking is genuinely dangerous you could also contact the police using their non-emergency number. It’s worth involving the police if the parking is likely to cause a collision or puts pedestrians and wheelchair users at risk.

Will the parking on pavement law change in the future?

Pavement parking was a hot topic a few years back, with a government consultation on the issue. For a while it looked like a widespread ban on pavement parking was on the cards.

It’s now more than four years since that consultation took place, and no such legislation has been brought before parliament. That’s not to say that it won’t happen in the future, but for now it seems to have dropped down the agenda.

In Scotland, local authorities can implement pavement parking bans after legislation received ministerial approval in 2023. Bans have been implemented in Edinburgh and Glasgow, and other areas may follow suit.

Parking on the pavement FAQs

What does the Highway Code say about parking on the pavement?

The Highway Code states that you must not park on the pavement in London (‘must’ indicating that it’s against the law). The Code warns that drivers should not park on the pavement elsewhere (so while it’s not necessarily considerate driving, it’s not explicitly against the law).

How do I stop my neighbours from parking on the pavement?

Have you tried asking nicely? Failing that, contact the parking enforcement department of your local council.

When does parking on the pavement become illegal in Scotland?

Since ministers approved legislation in late 2023, local authorities have had the power to introduce pavement parking bans. Edinburgh and Glasgow have already done so.

Can you park a motorbike on the pavement?

You cannot park a motorbike on the pavement if it causes an obstruction. Specific legislation prohibits motorcycle pavement parking in London, Edinburgh, and Glasgow.

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