The issue of pavement parking and the risks it poses for pedestrians has been raised with the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) in a bid to help tackle the issue in Bracknell Forest.
This week, Bracknell Forest Council’s cabinet member for planning, transport and countryside - Cllr Guy Gillbe - wrote an open letter to the PCC requesting action from Thames Valley Police to tackle pavement parking.
Parking fully or partially on pavements makes it more difficult for pedestrians to use them safely. This is especially true for people who use a mobility aid, scooter or wheelchair and those with pushchairs.
The council regularly receives complaints from residents about the issue but has limited power to take action. Local authorities can only tackle pavement parking where restrictions are in place, for example yellow lines. In other cases, it is a police matter.
Cllr Guy Gillbe, cabinet member for planning transport and countryside, said:
“We take action where we can, but we can only do some much under the decriminalised parking powers available to councils.
“It’s clear that drivers parking fully or partially on pavements is an issue that affects and upsets our residents, so we’ve asked the police for some clarity and action in tackling it.
“We know parking is tight in certain parts of the borough and we’re working to address this where possible. However, this should not mean that pavement parking is acceptable.
“Most of the complaints we receive are isolated incidents or relate to specific vehicles and so it would be appropriate for the police to address the issue at a local level.
“It’s not a universal issue but it is something that impacts people’s daily life and their ability to move around their own neighbourhoods freely and safely. It especially affects people with limited mobility or those with very young children and buggies, so we’re reaching out to ask for help in addressing it.”
The open letter asks for a meeting to discuss:
- clarity on when local councils and Thames Valley Police can act
- assurance that residents will not be redirected improperly from Thames Valley Police to the local council
- recognition of the role Thames Valley Police can play in tackling this problem
More information
Councils have the power to act where parking restrictions already exist, such as yellow lines. Bracknell Forest Council does enforce against pavement parking where restrictions are in place and dropped kerbs are obstructed, within the limits of our decriminalised parking enforcement powers.
