Bid to "outlaw" pavement parking in Coventry to be discussed by councillors

[dutchman]

A proposal to ban parking on pavements will be considered by councillors in a meeting on Monday.



Nearly 50 people have backed a petition calling on Coventry City Council to “outlaw the parking of motor vehicles on the pavements of Coventry”.

It will be discussed during a meeting with the cabinet member for city services, Cllr Jayne Innes.

The petition expired in December last year with 48 signatures - 24 from a paper petition and 24 from an online petition.

The issues of anti-social behaviour, disability discrimination and the illegality of driving on pavements were all raised as reasons for the council implementing new parking restrictions.

The petition says: “It is the aim of this petition to outlaw the parking of motor vehicles on pavements in Coventry City, such that enforcement may be carried out against those who park on pavements thereby allowing the intended users of pavements to enjoy their unhindered usage.

“Pavement parking in addition to being socially inconsiderate and unacceptable nuisance, the parking of motor vehicles on pavements presents a hazard and inconvenience to pedestrians and other legitimate users especially those who are disabled, and require access such as emergency services, currently it seems that parking on pavements is not prohibited on a national basis.”

A point has also been made in the petition that leaving cars on a ‘highway’ can cause a nuisance which isn’t permitted by the Highways Act 1980.

Cllr Jim O’Boyle, who supports the petition, and the petition’s creator will be invited along to the meeting at the council house on February 6.

Documents released before the meeting show that the council is likely to endorse recommendations made in response to a previous petition on the same matter heard in 2015.

1) I'm staggered it isn't already illegal?

2) Is anybody going to enforce the new byelaw or will it be ignored like all the others?

[rebbonk]

Parking on the pavement is not illegal, but obstructing a pavement is. - Go figure! I also believe it illegal to mount a pavement by any means other than a dropped kerb. They already have the means to tackle this problem, but have chosen not to do so.

If people would be sensible and have a little concern for others this wouldn't be an issue. But, as usual, a few ar$ehole$ spoil it for everyone.

[dutchman]

Another thing which should be banned is tall vans parking on corners and of course cyclists riding on pavements.

[dutchman]

No ban on pavement parking in Coventry - because it could actually be dangerous



Coventry council has said it cannot put a blanket ban on parking on pavements over fears of putting residents at risk.

It follows a petition, signed by almost 50 people, calling for drivers to be outlawed from parking up on footpaths.

Cllr Jayne Innes, cabinet member for city services, spoke out during a meeting held yesterday (Mon).

She said that she felt she could not ban parking on the pavement - because if that happened cars left on the road could block access to the emergency services.

Cllr Innes said: “I don’t want to be in the situation if we were to have a blanket ban on parking on pavement, I would be deeply concerned that emergency services wouldn’t get through.

“I cannot in all honesty put the citizens of Coventry in a place where an ambulance or fire engine cannot get to them.

“We see this as motorists and pedestrians every day, sometimes it looks as though people haven’t so much as parked their vehicles as abandoned them.

“There doesn’t seem to be any consideration for other residents of the city there, that clearly is not acceptable.”

The petition was put forward with a particular focus on the difficulties that parking on pavements poses for those who are visually impaired or disabled.

Cllr Innes is hoping to team up with Rita Norman, chair of the Coventry and Warwickshire accessible transport committee, who started the petition to start a campaign.

She wants to focus on raising awareness of the problems of parking on pavements, particularly to prevent the risks to disabled people.

But Rita and husband Derrick, who is the secretary of the accessible transport committee, are looking to petition the council again on this issue.

Mr Norman said: “We realise and accept that it’s not a practical solution to ban parking on pavements all together but they could put in signs to inform people.

“It’s frustrating but we can petition the council and we can put them on the spot.

“I think the next step will be to petition the council to decriminalise parking on pavements to take it out of the hands of the police and give the council more control.”

The petition spoke of how it is illegal to drive on the pavement but for vehicles to park up on the pavement they must have to do exactly that.

Council officers explained that for action to be taken against drivers for doing that they must be seen doing it. Cllr Innes is encouraging residents to let the council know if there are any areas in the city where pavement parking is a real problem.

She added: “If we are aware of particular areas where there are particular problems we can send parking officers there.

“We don’t have enough parking enforcement officers to have them on every street corner every day.”

Another suggestion to resolve the problem was a ‘speed awareness’ style course, which Cllr Innes said offenders would front the cost for.

[rebbonk]

Whilst I accept the issue of emergency vehicles this is simply dodging the issue.

Maybe we ought adopt a Japan style policy whereby if you haven't got an off road parking space you can't have a car? That'd cause a rumpus on property prices!

[dutchman]

Powers to ban pavement parking unlikely to be used in Coventry for safety reasons

Councils could be given powers to impose blanket bans on pavement parking but Coventry City Council is unlikely to use them.

Local Government Association bosses want all local councils to have the powers to ban pavement parking to help parents with pushchairs and disabled people get around safely.

But senior Coventry City councillors have already said they won’t bring in a ban.

That’s because on some roads there wouldn’t be enough room for emergency services to get through.

Local Government Association Transport spokesman Coun Martin Tett said: “Local authorities need this power to respond to concerns raised by their communities, for example if a street is becoming dangerously congested or pedestrians are being forced to step out into the street to get round parked vehicles.

“This is particularly dangerous for blind or partially-sighted people and mums and dads with prams.

“Pavement parking and damaged pavements are among the biggest complaints from pedestrians.

“In addition, repairing kerbs, verges and pavements damaged by pavement parking is expensive at a time when councils continue to face huge funding pressures as a result of further cuts to funding from government.

“The money spent on this would be better used to plug the £12 billion roads repair bill we currently face as a nation. “

But in February Coventry City Council’s cabinet member for city services Councillor Jayne Innes (Lab, Whoberley) said there would be no blanket ban.

That’s because if all cars parked with all their four wheels on the road in some streets there would not be enough room for fire engines and ambulances to get through.

Cllr Innes laid out her objections after 50 people signed a petition calling for an all out ban.

The petition highlighted the problems for disabled people negotiating pavement partly blocked by cars.

The situation is particularly difficult for blind and partially sighted people.

Cllr Innes suggested instead people report hot spots to council staff who could then send out traffic wardens.

[rebbonk]

...report hot spots to council staff who could then send out traffic wardens