The pavement parking ban and what it means for your car park

Can you park on pavements? You no longer can in Edinburgh and this ban could impact your parking provision in the future.

At the end of January Edinburgh became only the second UK city to outlaw parking on pavements.

Following the ban, anyone who parks their vehicle either wholly or partly on a pavement, as well as on verges between roads and pavements, and also dropped kerbs, will face a ￡100 fine.

Edinburgh is the first UK city to introduce such measures since London in 1974 and it has thrust the subject of pavement parking back into the public conversation. It’s a contentious subject, with pedestrians arguing that vehicles are cluttering and even blocking pavements, which is a significant issue for people with pushchairs or those with restricted mobility. Motorists meanwhile contest that parking wholly on the road leaves less space for traffic to pass, which may cause issues for blue light vehicles on the way to an emergency.

Overall public opinion does side with the pedestrians however. Prior to the introduction of the new law, Edinburgh Council conducted a survey that revealed that more than two-thirds (68%) of the city’s residents supported the ban. Other Scottish cities are now planning to enforce their own bans, and it’s suggested the continued public support could open the door to changes in the law that would allow local authorities across the UK to follow suit.

What could this mean for car park owners?

A ban on mounting the kerb will reduce the availability of available on-street parking, as motorists may be unable or unwilling to leave their vehicles wholly on the road. This in turn will increase the demand for car park spaces on both public and private land.

If your business currently owns a car park offering free parking for customers and visitors, there’s a risk that this provision will be abused as motorists look for alternatives to on-street parking. This may mean there are no available spaces for genuine users to park, which could negatively impact the visitor experience. Worse, it may also affect footfall and revenue.

How can you prepare for this potential threat?

If pavement parking is common on roads close to your business then it would be prudent to prepare for possible issues should a ban come into force in the future. We recommend you begin by reviewing how you communicate your parking conditions and see if you could make any improvements. Are you currently displaying signage outlining your parking terms? If you are, are the signs clear and prominent enough to get your message across?

If you are currently experiencing issues with nuisance parking and are concerned that a pavement parking ban will compound matters, it could be time to introduce enforcement measures. This could involve employing a ‘warden’ to patrol your car park, or alternatively using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras to monitor every vehicle that enters and exits your site.

At Creative Car Park we partner with UK businesses to provide innovative and ethical solutions to everyday parking problems. Our intelligent ANPR Parking Management System keeps your car park running smoothly, freeing up parking spaces for users who genuinely need them.

In addition, we also provide Charge-For-Parking Solutions to help you generate revenue from motorists looking to leave their vehicles in a convenient and safe space.

If you’d like to talk parking with the experts, click here to get in touch.