Pavement parking.

[jj4091]

We have seen in Wales where push-bikes are overtaking cars, as the 20 MPH does not apply to push-bikes, and the national cycle race had to select a new route, as the support cars could not keep up with the push-bikes.

And I see in my own estate where to use the EV charging point, the car needs to be parked on the foot path.

I see the word "pavement" as a problem, as clearly the road is also paved, in fact around here it is often the foot path which is not paved, so a law stopping pavement parking would be silly, due to the English language not that I am totally against stopping parking on a foot path, but first define what is a foot path.

I would want to ban parking next to drop kerbs, as I know the problem when in a wheel chair or mobility scooter when you find one has to back up many yards to get off the walkway, and I know it is very tempting to drive down the road at 4 MPH as one does not know if one can leave the walkway.

I have also seen the stupid signage, where the walkway is designated as a combined walkway and cycle route, with no cancel signage, and then a notice in English only saying "No cycling on the pavement" there was only a need for end of cycle way sign. And since not in Welsh, it had no law behind it.

There are things which will make it safer for cyclists and pedestrians', like banning Aramco barriers unless there is a walkway behind them, being knocked into a hedge is bad, being trapped between a vehicle and Aramco barrier is much worse. The same applies to railings on corners, and speed humps which take the vehicle surface to same level as walking surface.

Where I lived in North Wales in Shotton, I could ride to Chester on my bike, one two routes without riding on the road, here in Mid Wales going from Llanfair to Welshpool be it riding a bike or walking, one risks ones life, I can only go to Welshpool in the summer, as train does not run in the winter. And can't take bike on a bus, and things are too far apart to walk around Welshpool.

The problem is, people who want new rules are blinked, they only see what they have where they live, and those rules are likely unworkable in other areas of the UK. As to mandatory cycle training, since in the country one relies on a car how about mandatory car training, should children be taught to drive, in the same way as taught maths etc? Then the bad habits of dad, would not be passed to his children.

As far as I know and certainly aound here pavement parking is already illegal though never enforced. The dropped kerb disabled crossings are also a no no. But our local county council sent out a planning consultation about new parking restrictions and where they were going to place them and a new loading bay section in the main shopping street. Guess where they intended to place the loading bay. Of course across the dropped kerb in that area. They apologised and thanked me for pointing out their mistake when I asked if that was legal and there is still no sign of lines or a loading bay 12 months later.

 

[GhostIntMachine]

Pavement parking should be illegal, and penalties should be enforced. People who are partly sighted or blind, people who are mobility impaired (be it because they use sticks, walking frames or wheelchairs) as well as parents with kids in buggies or prams are all forced out into the traffic by those inconsiderate sods who park on pavements. It isn't just the elderly, either - we have a QS in his late-30s who is partially sighted (registered blind) and I know he has all sorts of problems because of this. From what he says I gather the RNIB have complained to successive governments about this, so far without much success

 

[Old Salt]

Almost as bad as those who have hedges that grow across the pavement.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Almost as bad as those who have hedges that grow across the pavement.

One local house, had a massive hedge of rapid growing trees, with branches blocking 2/3rds the width of the pavement. I complained to our councillor four years on the trot, each time the owner made a half-hearted attempt to cut them back. The last time, they finally chopped them down completely.

 

[ericmark]

I had a tree which was part blocking the pavement, and had a council official tell me to sort it out. I did, I cut it down, then I had another council official asking if I had permission to cut it down. When I say another council had told me to do it, it was Oh he should not have done that, but I never heard any more.

As far as I know and certainly around here pavement parking is already illegal though never enforced. The dropped kerb disabled crossings are also a no no. But our local county council sent out a planning consultation about new parking restrictions and where they were going to place them and a new loading bay section in the main shopping street. Guess where they intended to place the loading bay. Of course across the dropped kerb in that area. They apologised and thanked me for pointing out their mistake when I asked if that was legal and there is still no sign of lines or a loading bay 12 months later.

I note we have an EV charger up the road, where the road is too narrow to pass the car on charge if it were parked on the road, so one needs permission to fit an EV charging point, so some one in the council has clearly sanctioned it being fitted. So how they will deal with that if pavement parking is stopped I don't know.

It is illegal to drive on or off the walkway, but not to be parked there it seems.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

It is illegal to drive on or off the walkway, but not to be parked there it seems.

That is correct. The only way to get done, except for some areas where it is illegal, is for a policeman to witness you driving on, or off the footpath.

 

[JBR]

Pavement parking should be illegal, and penalties should be enforced. People who are partly sighted or blind, people who are mobility impaired (be it because they use sticks, walking frames or wheelchairs) as well as parents with kids in buggies or prams are all forced out into the traffic by those inconsiderate sods who park on pavements. It isn't just the elderly, either - we have a QS in his late-30s who is partially sighted (registered blind) and I know he has all sorts of problems because of this. From what he says I gather the RNIB have complained to successive governments about this, so far without much success

I'm afraid that if that were the case in the case of some narrow roads parking would be impossible. In my opinion, parking with two wheels on the pavement is a practical solution, providing that the space remaining on the pavement is sufficiently wide to provide enough space for wheelchairs, pushchairs, etc. That is what people around here do anyway and at the same time there is sufficient width for buses and cars to pass each other in opposing directions. It's just a matter of common sense and consideration for others.

 

[GhostIntMachine]

It's just a matter of common sense and consideration for others.

Sadly, common sense and consideration for others are in short supply. I'm afraid that just as many cyclists have little or no regard for pedestrians, many motorists are as bad or worse (and for the record I use all three modes of travel)

 

[ericmark]

It one can put two wheels on the walkway, and a wheel chair can pass, then the walkway is too wide.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

It one can put two wheels on the walkway, and a wheel chair can pass, then the walkway is too wide.

The footpaths, down our street, are so narrow that those walking, walk either single file, or one on the road. Everyone either has a drive, or space for one. The drive space varies between one car, to the five, or even the seven which I have. Despite this limited space, the footpaths are regularly obstructed for days, by bins, or permanently by hedges growing across the path.

The road width, is wide enough, with care, for two lorries to pass each other. With a car parked, there is still room for cars, with care to pass each other, though most use common sense and slow down, or stop where there is a parked vehicle. So, absolutely no need for anyone to drive on, or park on the footpath. Just to repeat - those parking on the footpath, serve little or no purpose, for passing traffic.

Yet, most drivers see it as their absolute right, to park on the footpath, many completely blocking it. The worst offenders - the delivery guys, dropping off small parcels. I have no issue with large trucks, making heavy deliveries parking on the footpath, to keep pedestrians out of the risky area. Part of the reason, is that we have low kerbs, only an inch or two, with lots of dropped kerbs for drives.

We have a rail station close, and primary schools at either end - so at times, we get quite a few pedestrians trying to use the paths, kids, mothers with prams, disabled on scooters, and all being forced to find their way out on the road, to get past the odd vehicle parked obstructing the path. Many, rather than going constantly in and out, choose to just walk out on the road. The main line railway, which passes us, is being upgraded, so we often have rail replacement coaches up and down the street, every 30 minutes. Large coaches, mixing with people walking out on the road, seems extremely dodgy.

 

[ericmark]

Here a wheel chair user is forced to use the road, as end of foot path, there is no dropped kerb, and it seems the foot path is very poor in general, before my wife's knee operation I tested could I get the mobility scooter to doctors and back, and failed. Both too steep and too narrow.

I really don't know why a kerb and foot path were installed. They have bollards to stop vehicles driving on the foot path in areas, but these also serve to stop wheel chair, mobility scooters, any thing too wide or heavy, so only the smallest and lightest of wheel chairs.

Where I use to live, we have pedestrianised areas, there was no vehicle access to the rear, so delivery vehicles had to deliver on a strict time scale, I have been caught with late deliveries, and had to load it onto a trolley to take it ¼ mile through Chester.

As we move town to town, we have different problems, we have seen the problem with blanket 20 MPH speed limits, and accidents causes because some one has miss judged speed, were we have come to expect 20 MPH now. Next will be man with a red flag again.

But often it is the council at fault, either giving planning permission, signs, missing dropped kerbs, and simply ending a walkway with no alternative safe route. The road I live on is parallel to a better road, so only very local traffic uses it, if there was more traffic it would be very dangerous. Often we need the walkway to ensure we can see the road far enough ahead to pull out.

 

[JBR]

It one can put two wheels on the walkway, and a wheel chair can pass, then the walkway is too wide.

Well the footpaths along our road, and many others in this area, have been perfectly fine for over a hundred years and are unlikely to be relaid in order to make them narrower! The system works well, assuming of course that most motorists bear in mind to leave a sufficiently wide area of the pavement for wheelchairs and perambulators!

 

[ericmark]

I watched my mother, trying to squeeze between car and wall with wheel chair, she was not that good, not malicious in any way, but seen the damage she did to cars, also loads of damage inside the house, she would forget about bits of wheel chair behind her, and had worked out, waggle the joy stick and it would often push what ever was stopping her out of the way, painting skirting boards was a regular job.

I have noticed mirrors will fold out of the way in one direction, but tend to break if hit by wheel chair or mobility scooter in the other direction.

The 4 MPH mobility scooter, does not produce much force, and is light enough to carry in a car, but the 8 MPH version is a bit of a beast, and can do a lot of damage.

 

[GhostIntMachine]

Next will be man with a red flag again.

In Wales shouldn't that be a red dragon flag?

 

[ericmark]

In Wales shouldn't that be a red dragon flag?

As long as it does not leak?