There's an update on a long-running campaign that's really close to my heart today, as the Government consults on changing the legislation that manages parking on pavements.
This can cause huge problems for those with impaired vision, the disabled, elderly and parents if their safety is put at risk by being forced into the road with their guide dogs, wheelchairs, pushchairs or small children.
This follows long-running The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association (UK) campaigns (Clutter Street, Pavement Parking, Streets Ahead,) that have been supported by many MPs and Councillors nationwide.
I first got involved in this issue when I was a local councillor, then as an MP, and then it was the subject of a Transport Select Committee report when I was a member.
The consultation is asking whether a change of existing pavement parking legislation should occur, to do things like give more powers to local councils to take action.
Three options are being proposed:
1) Improving the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) process, under which local authorities can already prohibit pavement parking;
2) A legislative change to allow local authorities with civil parking enforcement powers to enforce against ‘unnecessary obstruction of the pavement’;
3) A legislative change to introduce a London-style pavement parking prohibition throughout England;
You can read more here and here, and have your say on the consultation here.
And as ever, please let me know what you think: robert@robertcourts.co.uk