Charities take to Downing Street to urge government to end delay on pavement parking action

Jessica Leigh, Campaigns manager at Guide Dogs and Joe Irvin, Chief Executive at Living Streets are joined by guide dog owners Emma (her dog, Ivy), Simon (his dog, Lemar) and parent Vicky Sherwood and daughter Edith

Representatives from Guide Dogs and Living Streets were at Downing Street on Thursday to hand-in a letter to the Prime Minister, backed by twenty organisations and almost 17,000 signatories, urging the government to outlaw dangerous pavement parking.y organisations and almost 17,000 signatories, urging the government to outlaw dangerous pavement parking.

In the letter, the charities call on the government to take urgent action exactly 1,000 days after ministers first promised to tackle the problem of unsafe pavement parking.  

The letter, signed by groups representing people with disabilities, older people and a wide-range of road users, challenges the government for repeatedly stalling on the issue since 2015 and says:

 “Cars parked on pavements force people into the road to face oncoming traffic, which is particularly dangerous for many, including blind and partially sighted people, parents with pushchairs and young children, wheelchair users and others who use mobility aids. Pedestrians should be able to rely on pavements being clear and safe.”     

A poll by YouGov for the charity Guide Dogs shows only 5% of drivers are aware of all aspects of the current law on pavement parking, which differs between London and the rest of Great Britain.

Guide Dogs and Living Streets are calling for a nationwide system like the one which operates in the capital, where pavement parking is outlawed unless there is a specific exemption in place. 

Campaigns manager Jessica Leigh was at Downing Street with Guide Dogs supporters, she said: “Drivers often park on the pavement without thinking about the impact on others, but can you imagine being forced to walk out into a busy road when you can’t see the traffic coming? A nationwide law would give clarity to drivers and keep people safe. A thousand days is a long time to wait when your safety is at risk.”

Living Streets, the charity which promotes everyday walking in the UK, said pavement parking caused problems for everyone using our streets. Its chief executive, Joe Irvin, was at Downing Street and said: “We are regularly contacted by disabled and older people who are effectively trapped in their homes because there is not enough room on the pavement for wheelchairs or mobility aids. We want the law to be clear: pavement parking should not be permitted.”