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MERSEYSIDE HAS LONG BEEN BLIGHTED BY THE ISSUE - BUT THE GOVERNMENT HAS NOT YET TAKEN ACTION 16:13, 20 May 2025 Merseyside has long been blighted by drivers who block pavements and paths

with their cars. The ECHO has reported for some time on the scourge of pavement parking, with readers recently telling us the issue transcends around Merseyside, from Halewood to County

Road. Pavement parking is a problem for anyone getting around, but for some it is a particularly dangerous issue. If you require a wheelchair or if you are a parent with a child in a pram,

you could be forced into the road as you try to navigate your way past vehicles that have been left blocking your route. The frequency of pavement parking in the area has prompted people to

question if it is illegal to do so. In recent years campaign groups have been calling on the government to ban motorists from parking on the pavement. And while pavement parking can

undoubtedly be an obstruction, it isn't necessarily an offence. While some parts of the UK have introduced bans, others haven't. The Highway Code specifically mentions that drivers

must not park on the pavement in London or Scotland. Rule 244 of the Highway Code says: "You must not park partially or wholly on the pavement in London or Scotland. Exceptions are

allowed in limited circumstances. "You should not park partially or wholly on the pavement elsewhere unless signs permit it. Parking on the pavement can obstruct and seriously

inconvenience pedestrians, people in wheelchairs or with visual impairments and people with prams or pushchairs." Article continues below If you park on the pavement in London, you can

expect to receive a fine of between £40 and £130, while in Scotland the fine could reach £100. However, in other parts of the UK it's not strictly an offence. But if you park in a way

that’s considered an obstruction or dangerous, you could still be fined. The ECHO reported earlier this month that Liverpool Council parking officers were seen handing out tickets to

vehicles parked on the pavement in Victoria Street. An image sent to the ECHO also showed new yellow lines had been painted on the kerbs. The government consulted on pavement parking back in

2020. The consultation aimed to address the issue of pavement parking, which can pose challenges for pedestrians, especially those with disabilities or mobility aids. However, it has not

yet produced an outcome. Article continues below WHERE ELSE CAN YOU NOT PARK? The Highway Code says you must not stop or park in certain locations, except when forced to do so. These

locations include near a school entrance; where the kerb has been lowered to help wheelchair and mobility vehicle users; a pedestrian crossing; on the carriageway or hard shoulder of the

motorway; on a bus or tram stop; on a bend; and on a road marked with central double white lines.